


The Legend of the Sun and the Moon

by TheLightinmySeoul



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Fantasy, Fiction, M/M, MAMA Era, Romance, Tragedy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-02-26
Updated: 2015-03-05
Packaged: 2018-03-15 06:49:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 26,591
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3437567
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheLightinmySeoul/pseuds/TheLightinmySeoul
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p></p><div class="center">
  <p>“Let me tell you the story,<br/>Of how the sun<br/>Loved the moon so much,<br/>He died every night<br/>To let him breathe.”</p>
</div>
            </blockquote>





	1. The First Task

“Tell me a bedtime story,” Tao pleaded, smiling brightly up at Kyungsoo who was currently tucking him in. Sehun, sitting on the adjacent bed, scoffed out loud, but Kyungsoo could see he was watching them out of the corner of his eye.

“Alright,” Kyungsoo said with a gentle smile in return, settling himself to the ever eager Tao. The young boy let out a squeal of excitement, practically bouncing on the bed as he waited for Kyungsoo to begin. He considered his options. “What story should I tell?” He asked.

Kyungsoo lost his train of thought as his eyes drifted to the open window, Tao’s excited babbling fading into the background. He could see that it was a clear, beautiful night. The sky was empty of clouds letting the moon shine in all its glory, surrounded by a mass of twinkling stars. Nothing of the night made any indication that a lunar eclipse had occurred the night before, but Kyungsoo remembered the sight with clear clarity as he did every year. A phenomenon in which the sun and the moon were able to occupy the same sky. Kyungsoo couldn’t help the wistful memories that washed over him, ones of sadness and pain, but most of all; love.

“Let me tell you the story,

Of how the Sun

Loved the Moon so much,

He died every night

To let him breathe.”

Tao had gone silent. He sat entranced, looking up at Kyungsoo with wide admiring eyes. Even Sehun on the opposite bed had turned his body towards them, a look of mild interest on his usually passive face. They seemed to have realized there was something in Kyungsoo’s voice that wasn’t usually present when he told stories. Something important and special that demanded to be listened to.

“The days as they used to be were not as we know them now,” Kyungsoo began, Sehun leaning forward to catch his soft words. “Back then, two races existed. Polar opposites in a constant battle for power.”

The first, were those born from flames.

The Solaris were strong and powerful with a will unrivaled by others. They faced every obstacle in their path and never ran from a fight. They were firm in their beliefs and gave respect to only those they had believed to deserve it.

The second, were those created from light.

The Lunar were brave souls with sharp minds and an unyielding spirit. What they may have lacked in power they made up for with their minds. They protected those they loved with a courage none others seemed to possess but showed mercy when they found fit.

They too treasured power, but in the end only one could rule the sky. The two sides were at war, but there is only so much time and both races desired as much of it for themselves as they could get.

They fought desperately, resorting to tricks and lies when neither side seemed to gain the upper hand in their battle for power. Almost too late they had realized that instead of winning, both races were on the brink of extinction.

In an attempt to regain peace and order the two races created a series of tasks done every fifty years to determine which of the two would gain control.

For thousands of years the Solaris had control of the sky. While the fire race thrived in the bright sunlight and the warmth of its rays, those of the light suffered years of starvation and pain. None of the challengers the Lunar produced could defeat the previous victor that the Solaris had procured. The sun was tall and imposing, strong and fearless. He was the land’s champion, the Solaris’ savior for he had destroyed every enemy that had been tasked against him. For ages he was unbeatable.

That is, until they produced a challenger quite unlike the others.

The moon.

 

“Byun Baekhyun.”

Chanyeol quickly pressed his hand to his chest, the blood red light that was dancing along his fingertips sucking back into his body with a shudder. The door swung open only a second later, light flying into the shadow filled room. He blinked as sharp rays strung his eyes, hand covering up to shield his eyes.

“Why do you always sit in the shadows?” Jongdae asked. When Chanyeol snapped him a cold, blank stare, the man scoffed before closing the door behind them, draping them back in darkness. “Anyway, your competitor. His name is Byun Baekhyun.”

Jongdae paused, as if waiting for a reaction, but Chanyeol merely continued to stare at him, as if waiting for him instead. Jongdae cleared his throat before continuing, looking rather disappointed by his lack of interest. “We weren’t able to find much about him,” he reported.

“You’re the kingdoms best,” Chanyeol drawled, gaze as vacant as ever, “And you’re saying you couldn’t find anything?”

“We found out the usual,” Jongdae corrected, straightening. “He was marked a light wielder at the age of nine but received no formal training and lived as the son of a farmer.”

Chanyeol seemed to accept that, lightly shrugging his shoulders before becoming unresponsive again.

“It’s strange,” Jongdae said, breaking the silence. “The last few competitors from the Lunar have been decent but to put up a kid with no experience is a death sentence.”

Chanyeol shrugged again. He had no interest in the Lunar, he never knew what they were thinking and he truthfully didn’t care. Jongdae seemed put off by Chanyeol’s lack of response but when he realized he wasn’t going to get anything else from the man he bowed and began backing out of the room.

“Have a good evening, champion.”

Jongdae closed the door behind him, sending the room back into solitary silence. When the drapes were up and the room was swathed in light it looked magnificent; vast white walls with beautiful hand crafted paintings, stunning plush furniture and wide open windows to the sun. But with the windows shut and the blinds closed Chanyeol could almost pretend the sun didn’t shine on him anymore.

Chanyeol reached to his heart, opened his palm and let the flames burn once more.

 

The stadium was in a frenzy, the air practically buzzing with excitement. Every seat was taken, the stands full to the brim. Chanyeol let his eyes wander the stands, blinking against the harsh sunlight even though he was in the shadows, glare as empty as usual. He was as surprised as he had been the last tasks, he would have thought the tasks would have become less popular as the outcome continued to remain the same, but the Lunar were dedicated and he shed them some respect for it.

“Byun Baekhyun, Challenger of the Lunar, child of the moon, being of light.”

The crowd erupted into cheers. It was deafening, echoing across the huge coliseum and filling the air with crashes like thunder. Chanyeol watched as the south wing gates opened up and a young man stepped out. He still looked like a child in Chanyeol’s eyes, around the same age he had been when Chanyeol had become a challenger, barely more than twenty years old. He was small and thin but with a body toned from hard work on the fields and pale skin that was common among the Lunar. Atop his head was a mess of dark brown hair that contrasted deeply with the flowing blue and purple robes he wore. Chanyeol was surprised by his garb, in the past few years the Lunar had been dressed in much grander appearances but Baekhyun’s in contrast was quite simple, merely a few layers tied back to allow him movement and comfort.

The boy walked with his head held high as he walked contently across the ground to the raised platform in the middle of the stadium. Some of the Solaris in the crowd were hissing and yelling out profanities but Baekhyun didn’t even bat an eye, merely gliding up to the platform and standing on the engraved crescent pattern on the stage.

“And Park Chanyeol, Challenger of the Solaris, child of the sun, being of flames.”

The gate in front of Chanyeol raised. He stepped out onto the ground, momentarily blinded as his eyes adjusted to the blinding sun. They had sunlight every hour of the day but he wondered if he would get used to it. The sound in the stadium was deafening but Chanyeol had become used to the noise and barely acknowledged it, instead moving swiftly to the stage, elaborate robes flying behind him. He climbed the stairs, ignoring the three court members before moving to his place on the sun shaped mark.

His gaze found Baekhyun and his lips turned downward when he realized how much taller he was than the other. He really was a child.

Baekhyun looked over, as if he knew he was looking and caught his eye before Chanyeol could turn away.

He smiled.

“I present to you, your challengers!”

 

It was the evening but a soft light filtered through the high ceiling windows, hitting the crystals hanging from the ceiling and throwing sparks of light across the room. A long table was settled in the middle of the great hall of the Solaris palace, draped in heavy linens of gold and red, their best golden plates and cups balanced on the top of the table. A controlled laughter filled the air, light conversation flitting around the room, small jokes and empty compliments hanging on people’s lips.

Chanyeol leaned back in his chair at the head of the table, not even bothering to look interested as he gazed at the guests. The dark blues and silvers mingled with the reds and gold’s but Chanyeol knew the comradery was fake, knew that both sides hated each other as much as they always did and always would. He had once attempted to play along in their silly game, but too many years had passed and he found it tiresome to try anymore. The elderly man to his left sat in silence while the young man to his right had gone quiet after a single glance.

He couldn’t stop staring though, his eyes continuously drawn to the other end of the table.

Baekhyun was certainly different.

The young man sat at the other head, surrounded by red and gold and speaking animatedly to the people flocking around him. Usually the competitors were scared, nervous at least, but Baekhyun seemed at ease; smiling and laughing and making conversations that the others even seemed to enjoy. Chanyeol allowed his blank façade to break for a moment, a frown forming on his face because the sight unnerved him and he wasn’t sure what to think, when suddenly Baekhyun looked up and their eyes met.

Baekhyun’s eyes turned into crescents and he smiled.

This time Chanyeol couldn’t keep the scowl off his face. He turned his head, almost as if the smile physically burned him, before pushing his chair away from the table and getting to his feet. The room went quiet, may of the occupants standing hesitantly. It was the ceremonial opening dinner that marked the beginning of the tasks with members of all high positions in both races attending, but Chanyeol didn’t care. He had to get away.

A few people had begun questioning him but Chanyeol merely threw down his napkin and stormed out of the room, not even sparing a glance behind him as the heavy doors closed behind him.

That night as he lay in bed turning a small flame over in his hands no matter what he did he couldn’t get the stupid boys smile out of his head.

 

“What happened last night?”

It was Kris, dressed as finely as he usually was in robes of red and orange, expensive sword hanging from his belt. With his neatly styled blonde hair he fit in perfectly with the finely crafted furniture and jewels that furnished the room.

“Nothing,” Chanyeol grumbled, turning away. The war general had always looked the champion more than he ever had, with his messy fire red hair and common choice of plain dark shirt and trousers. Not that he ever tried.

There was a tense silence in which Chanyeol pretended Kris didn’t exist before he finally yielded and glanced at the other, frowning when he saw Kris’s disbelieving stare. “Really, it was nothing. I just wasn’t hungry.”

Kris’s frown only seemed to deepen but Chanyeol stood up, walking to the door and holding it open for him, sending a clear signal. Kris eyed him for a moment before he gracefully walked toward the door. “Don’t forget about dinner tonight,” Kris reminded him, pausing with one foot out the threshold.

Chanyeol resisted rolling his eyes. He had done this for over a thousand years, of course he remembered. He gently closed the door as a response before turning on his heel and heading back to his bed.

Anyway, how could he forget? He had been dreading it for the whole day.

 

Chanyeol reached under the elaborate headpiece gracing his head, trying to reach the itch from the fabric without upending the whole thing. He was dressed in at least five layers, the most beautiful and expensive silks of deep red and gold the Solaris could afford, the brightest of jewels stitched elegantly into the fabric. When Chanyeol had looked in the mirror he had grudgingly admitted to himself that the Solaris had outdone themselves. It was one of the most astonishing outfits he had ever worn.

Comfort was a whole other story. He just wanted to get rid of the headpiece, he was sure it was cutting off his circulation.

Chanyeol walked down the steps of the Solaris palace, making sure not to get his feet caught in the long flowing robes that swirled around his feet likes flames. Their Lunar guests and the Solaris alike oohed and awed as he descended, coming forward when he reached the foot of the stairs to acknowledge his attire and congratulate him and wish for his health. He could see the truth in their eyes though. The Solaris only wished for him to remain in power while the Lunar were waiting for him to fall.

His robes seemed more constricting than ever.

After a few more agonizing minutes of accepting wishes of luck and health he finally managed to disentangle himself from the admirers, moving to the other end of the hall. Jongdae materialized at his side, dressed in darker clothing with bright red jewels accenting his clothes, the sharp contrast making Chanyeol stand out even more. They stopped at the end of the hall, Jongdae opening the door to a smaller dining room for Chanyeol as he stepped inside.

The room was just as royal and beautiful as the rest of the palace, with wide open windows across one wall and bright colored furniture contrasting against the white walls. A lone table stood in the middle of the room, the table set for four.

Baekhyun was already seated, leaning back comfortably in his chair with his hands on his lap. Chanyeol paused in the doorway, almost unable to believe his eyes.

The Dining of the Challengers was a tradition that had gone on for years, meant for the two challengers to meet and converse alone though they each brought a companion. It was held before the first task and mostly used as a way for the two races to show off their challengers, dressing them in the most elaborate and beautiful silks and jewels they had. The dinners were always boring, the Lunar challenger either ending up trying too hard to be impervious to the beautiful Solaris castle or breaking down in the face of death.

It seemed Baekhyun went against all traditions.

He sat calmly, merely smiling in acknowledgement and bowing politely as Chanyeol made his way carefully to sit across from Baekhyun, Jongdae moving to the seat beside him. Instead of the numerous silks and jewels Chanyeol was clad in Baekhyun was dressed simply, just like when Chanyeol had first seen him. He wore a thin purple and blue fabric over simple white pants, his arms bare except for two thick silver bracelets on his wrist and a single ring on his right hand. Even though he was dressed simply the contrast against his pale skin made him shine.

Baekhyun dipped his head when they sat and Chanyeol realized there were jewels scattered in his hair like stars. “Champion,” he said, then bowed to Jongdae. “Companion.”

Jongdae returned the welcome but Chanyeol could see the surprise in his eyes. Usually the companion was not acknowledged, they were merely there to make sure the challengers did not fight. There was a pause in which no one said anything and though Chanyeol felt almost suffocated by the awkwardness. Baekhyun merely stared at them, unaffected.

“Where is your companion?” Jongdae asked, motioning to the empty spot to his left.

“I will be dining alone tonight,” Baekhyun replied. The door to their left opened and waiters began piling in, bringing along plates of delicious food with a delectable aroma wafting across the room. Chanyeol and Jongdae exchanged glances, a challenger had never gone without a companion before and Chanyeol couldn’t figure out why one would want to.

“Looks delicious!” Baekhyun said, an unveiled amount of excitement in his voice. He picked up his utensils and began picking pieces of food from each dish, not bothering to hold back as he ate. Beside him Jongdae began to eat, though much more reserved than Baekhyun, while Chanyeol merely sat back in his chair and watched.

Close up, Chanyeol realized that Baekhyun was much more different than he had previously thought. Instead of as enemies, he acted like they were old friends, gracious with his compliments and warm smiles, never once calling out Chanyeol for his unresponsive answers. It confused him, never had he seen someone act so calm in the face of death.

At some point even Jongdae had been drawn into Baekhyun’s conversations, almost infectiously like it was hard to stay away and Chanyeol couldn’t help but feel like he was being ignored. At any other time he would’ve enjoyed it, earning the chance to eat in peace, but for some reason this time it made him angry.

“Jongdae,” Chanyeol said, breaking into their conversation and making the two look up at him. “Please leave.”

There was a moment’s pause in which Jongdae openly gaped at him before he seemed to gather himself and stood. He bowed to Baekhyun who responded with a gentle smile and said it was a pleasure before he left, though Chanyeol could tell he didn’t want to leave at all. He truthfully didn’t know why he had said it either, didn’t know why he was getting so irritated by such a person, but it was done and soon he was left alone in a room with Byun Baekhyun.

It was quiet as Baekhyun continued to eat and Chanyeol closed his eyes, leaning back into his chair and reaching for his headpiece once again.

“You know, that thing looks mighty heavy.” Chanyeol’s eyes snapped open to see Baekhyun smiling friendly at him, pointing with the end of his chopsticks at Chanyeol’s elaborate headpiece. “You can take it off if you would like, I won’t tell.”

For a moment Chanyeol considered snapping at him and telling him it wasn’t his business before he threw all hell to the wind and grabbed the damn thing and yanked it off his head, sending loose jewels scattering to the ground. He threw the annoying wrap at a couch, letting out a relieved sigh as his head felt lighter and the blood rushed to his head. He thought he heard Baekhyun chuckle and he only retaliated by leaning back, throwing an arm over his face so as to cover the fact that his face was flushed.

Baekhyun let him sit like that for a while, merely eating his food in silence, always picking pieces from different plates. Chanyeol would be lying if he said he didn’t see the ways his eyes lit up whenever he tried something new, but he would never admit he had been watching from under his arm.

“Do you really like it that much?” Chanyeol asked exasperated as he finally flung his arm down.

Baekhyun glanced up from where he sitting. He had been eating from the same plate for the last few minutes, eyes bright and lips turned up as he dug into the meal. He seemed to realize what Chanyeol was implying and removed the chopsticks from his lips, a grin lighting up his face. “Oh yes, this dish is very delicious. You should try it.”

Chanyeol frowned and covered his face again so Baekhyun couldn’t see him roll his eyes. “What’s your favorite food?” Chanyeol pulled his sleeve away, brows furrowing as his gaze rested on Baekhyun.

“What?”

“What’s your favorite dish?” Baekhyun motioned to the numerous dishes that overloaded the table, eyes sparkling with curiosity.

Chanyeol opened his mouth but the words died on his lips. To tell the truth, he didn’t know. No one had ever asked him and he had never considered it. Instead of replying he finally grabbed his utensils and started grabbing bites of the food, filling his mouth so he wouldn’t have to reply.

Baekhyun didn’t seem bothered by the response and instead continuing to eat, asking Chanyeol occasionally to pass foods he couldn’t reach.

For a moment Chanyeol had considered saying no but then realized he was being childish and passed the plates over. They sat in what was almost a comfortable silence, Baekhyun only occasionally making small comments on the food while Chanyeol grunted or said nothing in response.

Finally, Chanyeol slammed his knife down onto the table, the silver embedding itself in the table. “Why do you keep doing that?” He demanded.

Baekhyun looked up at him, blinking in confusion as Chanyeol leveled a glare at him. “Doing what?” He asked innocently, lips turning up into a smile.

“That!” Chanyeol snapped, pointing his finger accusingly at Baekhyun. “You keep smiling and being nice to me and I hate it!”

“Oh.” Baekhyun’s face fell and Chanyeol ignored the discomfort that suddenly stabbed him in the chest. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know it bothered you.”

“Well, it does,” Chanyeol snapped fiercely, fists clenched by his sides.

“Would you like me to stop?”

“No. I mean yes!” Chanyeol exploded, ferociously shoving himself away from the table and standing up. His chair went tumbling to the ground. He didn’t know why he was getting so angry but he could feel flames flickering at his fingers and he clenched his fists to make them stop. He couldn’t remember the last time he had ever showed so much emotion, let so much show. “Just stop, okay?” He could hear desperation leak into his voice and he bit his tongue until he tasted copper.

“Okay,” came Baekhyun’s quiet reply.

They remained like that, Chanyeol trying to reign in his powers as he stood staring out the window at the ever shining sun and trying to desperately ignore Baekhyun’s gaze on his back. Finally he spun around, leaving the room with flames flickering in his wake. It was only once he had exited the room and Baekhyun’s gaze was confined behind the door that he felt he could breathe.

 

“Welcome all to the first task!”

Chanyeol could hear the announcer’s voice from above muffled through the ground. He stood on a platform underneath the coliseum where the first task was being held. The past few days had passed in a long, brooding silence, both sides assisting their challengers in preparation for the first task. Chanyeol hadn’t seen Baekhyun since the dinner but he guessed it was because he had stayed locked in his room most of the time, claiming he wasn’t feeling well and taking meals in his bed. He had cracked so easily, he didn’t want to fall apart.

After the first night Kris had come knocking, trying to converse with him, and after the second night had escalated to threatening to break down the door. Chanyeol had finally come out, more to ease Kris’s fears than anything, before retreating back into solitude after he assured the other he was fine and would be prepared for the tasks. As the days swept by he reluctantly left his room when Jongdae fetched him for practice, but other than that he remained in isolation. Jongdae allowed him, though only because his physical training had come to a standstill. There was nothing he could learn from his trainers anymore, most of them he could even fight better than. On those days he merely went through the routine and at the end of his sessions he was barely breaking a sweat. Chanyeol saw it as useless but it was routine. It helped him keep sane.

However as time went on and the tasks grew closer his anticipation grew and this time, even the fire did nothing to calm his nerves.

Kris had mentioned it once, having stopped by one of the mornings to check Chanyeol’s training sessions only to see the training room nearly go up in flames. Chanyeol had merely glared at him before sweeping out of the practice rooms to let the trainers fix his mess.

Finally at the task, Chanyeol’s nerves still wouldn’t settle. He didn’t know why he was so nervous, it wasn’t like he wasn’t expecting the tasks and it certainly wasn’t his first time participating, but his nerves were everywhere, frazzled at the ends and fraying all too quickly. Grabbing onto the last edges of his sanity and forcing himself to calm down, his skin slowly cooling, he fixed the elaborate jeweled headpiece and waited for the floor to rise.

“Ladies and gentlemen, your challengers!”

There was a jolt and then the ground began to rise and a trapdoor opened above him, light shining down upon him. The stadium was as bright as ever as Chanyeol appeared to the crowds, a deafening roar exploding around him. Chanyeol squinted to adjust to the light, glancing to his right to see Baekhyun rise with him. He half expected Baekhyun to look over at him and give him another one of his stupid smiles but Baekhyun simply stared ahead, face surprisingly blank.

“As many of you know, the first task is a challenge to test their strength. Both competitors will compete in a match to see which is superior, the Solaris or the Lunar, in a battle of strength.”

Chanyeol was not worried. The first task was always his strongest point. His powers were no match for anyone he had ever met and he was physically in good shape as well. After being embarrassingly beaten in the second round of the tasks against the ice wielder Minseok, Chanyeol had dedicated himself to building up his strength and had only been defeated a few times after that. Most of the time he won easily and earned the best farming lands for his race.

For some reason though Chanyeol felt like Baekhyun was holding out. It explained why the other threw him so off balance. There was something about him that made even Chanyeol worried so he vowed he would not lose this battle and that he would find out Baekhyun’s secret.

“This challenge will be a sword fight. The first competitor to unarm their opponent is the winner.”

Chanyeol mentally congratulated himself. He had never lost a sword fight.

Assistants came out wielding stacks of swords for the two challengers to choose from when Baekhyun’s voice rang out through the stadium.

“I forfeit.”

There was a moment of complete silence in which Chanyeol could’ve heard a pin drop before the whole coliseum burst into an uproar. People were screaming, cursing, yelling out insults that came from both the Lunar and the Solaris. The Lunar couldn’t believe their own challenger would give up without a fight, the Solaris didn’t respect cowards.

Chanyeol was in too much of a shock to even realize what was going on. Baekhyun had already turned away, walking toward the exit. The stands were in chaos, fights breaking out sending the guards in a frenzy to try to keep order.

He saw Baekhyun speak quietly to the guard near the entrance and for some reason he was filled with an unexplainable anger. He grabbed the nearest sword out of the rack of weapons and stormed towards Baekhyun. “Come back and fight me you coward!” He bellowed. He thought he saw Baekhyun falter but he was filled with too much rage to notice.

Suddenly guards were on him but he lashed out at them, trying to shove their hands off of him. It was illegal to fight another challenger while not part of the tasks but he was so blinded by fury he didn’t care. When someone tried to remove the sword from his grip he shoved the man harshly away before lifting it over his head and throwing it with all his strength.

Baekhyun didn’t even flinch as the sword imbedded itself in the wall beside him. Instead he continued walking until the gates closed behind him and he disappeared.


	2. The Second Task

Chanyeol was such a bundle of nerves the tips of his hair was on fire.

“Chanyeol, you need to calm down otherwise you’re going to set this place on fire,” Jongdae said, trying to soothe the other.

“Get me a meeting with that worthless Lunar,” Chanyeol snarled, pacing around the room, hands running continuously through his hair, sparks dancing from his fingertips.

“Chanyeol, that’s a very bad idea right now. You just need to sit down, and calm down-”

“Now Jongdae,” Chanyeol growled, his voice deadly low.

The room went quiet and Chanyeol knew the last thing Jongdae wanted was him and the other challenger in a room together, but the champion had demanded it and what Chanyeol wanted, he got.

“Yes, champion,” Jongdae said, bowing before turning around.

After Jongdae had left the room Chanyeol grabbed the nearest object and set it aflame.

 

“You asked to see me?”

Baekhyun was sitting as calm as ever in a large armchair at the edge of the room near the window, legs crossed, head resting on one hand. He didn’t even seem bothered that Chanyeol had just slammed the door open and broken a vase.

The servants were hurrying to pick it up but Chanyeol sent one glare at them and they scurried out of the room. Jongdae had set up a meeting with the Lunar but as usual Baekhyun was alone. Meanwhile Jongdae was in the room waiting along with numerous other assistants. Chanyeol glared and after a hesitant moment Jongdae sent the other assistants out of the room. Chanyeol continued to stare at him and only after a few seconds did Jongdae leave quietly.

“What the hell was that?” Chanyeol demanded as he slammed the door shut until they were finally alone. He had gotten enough control over his fire that his hair had stopped burning but he knew his skin was still hot to the touch.

“And what is it you’re talking about?” Baekhyun asked curiously, tilting his head innocently to the side.

Chanyeol breathed heavily out of his nose. “That. Out there. During the task.”

Baekhyun shook his head. “I still don’t understand what you’re speaking of.”

Chanyeol began to pace, trying to calm himself down enough to resist jumping across the room and throttling the other boy. He had to get control of his emotions, he couldn’t harm him no matter how much he wanted to. This could be his plan for god’s sake, have Chanyeol break the treaty and send them into war again. Finally he had seemed to get a grasp on himself enough that he stepped forward, standing close enough to Baekhyun that he could see the stardust in his hair. “Why did you forfeit.” He spit out.

“Because I couldn’t win.” Baekhyun said simply.

Chanyeol threw his hands up in the air. “But you didn’t know that! You’ve never seen me fight. You don’t know how well I am with a blade! I could be the worst swordsman ever and you’ll never know because you never even tried.”

“Didn’t they tell you?” Baekhyun asked gently. “I’m the son of a farmer. What could I have done, sow you to death?”

“But you didn’t even try,” Chanyeol said, his voice almost desperate. He didn’t know why it had bothered him so much, but like everything Baekhyun did it got under his skin.

“I don’t need glory or fame, Chanyeol,” Baekhyun said and his voice was so soft that it made Chanyeol pause.

“But… But that’s not the only reason,” Chanyeol said and he couldn’t believe how weak and timid his voice sounded.

“Then what do you fight for?” And his voice was free of malice, more curious than anything.

Chanyeol thought for a moment. For the people and his race that depended on him winning these tasks. His actions would change their lives for fifty years. “For other people.”

“That’s good, Chanyeol,” Baekhyun said gently, coming to his feet. He stepped forward and Chanyeol made to move backward but found himself rooted in the spot. “But there are also other important things you should fight for.” He then placed his hand gently on Chanyeol’s shoulder. “Yourself.”

Chanyeol opened his mouth to argue that he was fighting for himself, but nothing came out because he couldn’t remember the last time he had ever done something for himself. After all these years it had been engraved into him; he belonged to the Solaris.

“Congratulations on winning the first task Chanyeol,” Baekhyun said and a smile grew on his face, the most genuine smile Chanyeol had seen in years. “You deserved it.” And then Baekhyun was gone and even though Chanyeol always felt internally hot, he had never felt so cold.

 

No matter what, Chanyeol couldn’t get Baekhyun’s words out of his head. It was like he had somehow stuck a voice recorder in his mind that he just couldn’t switch off. It frustrated him to no end and left him on edge. Constantly Jongdae had to chastise him for drifting off or warn him before he set something aflame. He was a mass of emotions that left Chanyeol at a loss for what to do because he hadn’t felt this way in a long time. He didn’t know what to do.

Baekhyun had begun acting normal again, coming to dinner and chatting with everyone like they were his best friends, but they had begun to avoid him like the plague, even his own people. Chanyeol didn’t think he had ever seen a Lunar so isolated by his people. Champions had done worse, losing quickly and humiliatingly to him, but the Lunar had stood by their challengers through and through, showing a determination and loyalty that Chanyeol had respected. But the dark looks and cold stares didn’t escape Chanyeol and for some reason it made him mad.

After dinner, when he had had enough of the rude attitudes and mumbled insults, Chanyeol stood up to go speak to Baekhyun but before he could he was taken to the side by some of the guests. They wanted to speak about how his training was, see how he was doing. He quickly assured everyone training was going well, that he was listening to his trainers to prepare for the intelligence test and was practicing his powers at the same time, but before Chanyeol could follow Baekhyun Jongdae had pulled him aside.

“We want to increase your training time,” Jongdae said.

Chanyeol bristled. He had been already training more than any other task, anymore and it might drive him insane. “Do you think I’m not capable?” He snapped.

“Chanyeol, he has something up his sleeve, don’t you see? The only reason he forfeited was to probably hide his abilities.” Chanyeol paused. He hadn’t thought of this. Baekhyun’s words then rang through his head and he had a feeling that wasn’t the truth.

In the end Chanyeol agreed, but more to escape Jongdae’s prying eyes than agree with his opinion. Baekhyun had left the dinner long ago but he was strangely determined and headed to the far side of the Solaris kingdom that housed the Lunar guest quarters. The servants didn’t spare him a glance but a few of the Lunar officials he passed by stopped and stared. He shifted uncomfortably, this whole palace belonged to him but it had been years since he had gone into the Lunar’s territory of the palace. He slowed as he got closer to the rooms, all the Lunar lived in the same area but he hadn’t visited enough in the past to know where the challengers were roomed.

“Excuse me,” he finally said, grabbing a Lunar that was passing by. It was a young man that looked frightened when Chanyeol stopped him. “Where is Byun Baekhyun’s room?” The man hesitated before pointing out the room at the far end of the corridor. “Thank you,” Chanyeol mumbled. He started walking but when he realized the other man was following him, as if nervous he would try something. He spun around and glared at him until the man scurried away. The look of terror in his eyes made Chanyeol feel a bit better.

However when he finally reached the door all his previous confidence drained from him in a flash. Really, why was he even there? He had so many questions for Baekhyun because of the previous night’s answers which had left him more confused than before, but he shouldn’t be fraternizing with the enemy.

Finally finding the courage, Chanyeol knocked on the door.

“Are you looking for Baekhyun?”

The person that came to the door was not Baekhyun, instead it was a Lunar maid with a duster in her hand. The room behind her was empty, but surprisingly smaller than Chanyeol had expected. He thought the challenger’s room would have been bigger and grander.

Chanyeol nodded hesitantly and the maid pointed down the hall. “He didn’t come back after dinner. Check in the library,” she offered.

The Solaris library was grand from the thousands of the years the Solaris had had of money and time to collect and write precious literature. It was one of their most prized possessions. Chanyeol however did not visit it often, books had never interested him as much as the weaponry or the stables.

The library was quiet, only a few scholars bowing to him as he entered. It was just as grand as the rest of the castle, with towering walls lined with bookcases filled to the brim and huge glass windows that let in the perfect amount of light. He walked through the shelves searching for Baekhyun but he couldn’t find the other male anywhere.

He was just about to give up when he spotted a spiral staircase in the corner of the library. Curious, he carefully scaled the steps and came upon a second level which he had never heard of. This top level was round and much smaller, more like just a single room than the vast library downstairs, lined with bookcases that looked much older and far less used. Faint amounts of light filtered in through the windows embedded in the ceiling, spaced out evenly so the light only came in fair amounts. He had only taken a few steps inside when he saw Baekhyun.

The other boy was sitting in a corner, legs crossed with a sliver of light raining down on him making the star dust in his hair sparkle even more noticeably. He was surrounded by numerous book stacked around him, a particularly large and old book bound in heavy leather situated on his lap. As Chanyeol walked toward him he caught the title; the Joint Ages.

Chanyeol remembered stores of the Joint Ages. It was a time that was a legend even before he was born. Long ago Suho, the leader of the Lunar, and Yixing, the ruler of the Solaris, had settled a peace agreement to share the sky. The two races had flourished and their people had seen a golden age until Suho was brutally murdered and the Lunar had taken revenge on the Solaris, thus sending them back into an age of war. Chanyeol had not heard the story spoken of in hundreds of years. He hadn’t even though people remembered it.

Baekhyun looked up as he approached but instead of looking surprised he merely smiled, actually looking quite excited to see him. “Hello Chanyeol. Oh, sit down, please!” He hurriedly moved a few books out of their way and scooted over so Chanyeol could sit beside him. After a pause he did, crossing his legs as Baekhyun closed his book and rested it in his lap. “So, what are you doing here?” He asked, turning his full attention to the other.

Chanyeol shifted uncomfortably under Baekhyun’s gaze and paused. Truthfully, he had been wondering the same thing. Why was he there? He didn’t even know what he wanted to speak to Baekhyun about, he had just felt drawn to the other. He needed answers but he didn’t know which ones. Deciding to follow his instincts he asked the first question he could think of. “Are you alright?”

He didn’t quite know why he asked but he soon realized it was the best question he could have asked because immediately Baekhyun’s gaze faltered and in that split second Chanyeol didn’t think he had ever seen someone so sad. But then Baekhyun’s smile was back on his face and Chanyeol was left wondering if it had even been real. “Why would anything be wrong?” He asked.

It was such a blatant lie, so similar to the smile he had given those who had ignored him at dinner, that for some reason it made Chanyeol angry. He didn’t know why but he felt so betrayed by a smile. Baekhyun had lied to him, but he had no reason to tell him the truth either. “Why are the Lunar treating you like that?” He said, seething. He didn’t know why it bothered him so much but he wanted to know why Baekhyun was so different, why the people he respected had turned so horribly against their own kind.

Baekhyun’s gaze was soft. “Trust me Chanyeol, you don’t want to know.” Before Chanyeol could argue that yes, he wanted to - no, he needed to - Baekhyun leaned forward and then his arms were embracing him.

Chanyeol froze, his body tensing up. It was awkward because of their positions on the ground, but Baekhyun was clearly hugging him. He couldn’t remember the last time anyone had touched him in such an intimate manner. Baekhyun hugged him firmly, but not so tight that Chanyeol couldn’t escape. It seemed more like a reminder that Baekhyun was here for him if he needed someone. Chanyeol couldn’t help but feel unworthy. “But thank you for worrying about me. Trust me, I’m alright.”

When Baekhyun’s arms slipped from his shoulders Chanyeol help but feel empty afterward, like he was missing a part of himself. Instead he distracted himself by pointing at the book in Baekhyun’s lap. His hand was shaking. “What’s that,” he murmured.

Baekhyun’s eyes lit up and he eagerly lifted the book to show Chanyeol. “It’s about the Joint. Not many people know about it, it happened thousands of years ago, but my mother told me about it when I was young and this book is fantastic! I’ve been reading it whenever I have time. We don’t have anything like this back at the Lunar palace,” he said, almost wistfully. “It’s wonderful. The possibilities of harmony and friendship… If only we could go back to peaceful times like that.”

They spent the rest of the night looking at the book. It was mostly Baekhyun speaking, telling Chanyeol of all he knew about the topic while Chanyeol merely listened, absorbing Baekhyun’s excitement and learning small things about Baekhyun that he let slip. Baekhyun was almost infectious and it was hard not to be drawn into his excitement.

“Wouldn’t it be great to go back to a time like that,” Baekhyun said wistfully. Chanyeol wasn’t quite sure, because the years afterward had been quite horrible, but maybe. If the balance could be restored eternally.

A comfortable silence followed, Baekhyun just staring into space while Chanyeol stared at him. He had just opened his mouth to say something when Baekhyun jerked, shocking Chanyeol. “Oh wow, it’s gotten late,” he said uncertainly. Chanyeol followed his gaze to the sundial on the wall and realized they had talked for hours, completely missing his nightly training. He was surprised, it hadn’t felt that long. Talking with Baekhyun felt like they were in their own little world, away from responsibilities and expectations. Baekhyun smiled apologetically at Chanyeol. “Sorry about that,” he said with a light laugh.

“It’s okay,” Chanyeol found himself saying, though he was sure he would get an ear full from Jongdae when he returned. He found he didn’t quite mind as much as he’d thought.

Baekhyun stood up first, leaving his book on the floor before reaching out for Chanyeol’s hand.

Chanyeol hesitated. He had never felt so drawn to someone in his whole life. He had seen so many people come and go, but they were just small blips in his immortal life span that washed away with time. But Baekhyun was like a star, a huge disruption in his otherwise unchanging routine. In the past few days Chanyeol’s emotions which were usually hidden under lock in key in the darkest recesses of his mind had all come to the surface; leaving him drowning and confused and sputtering for air that was the normality of his old life. But at the mere sight of Baekhyun’s smile everything got better and Chanyeol could almost forget.

He hesitated because it scared him. It terrified him that he had become so attached to someone that he had just met, someone whose life was fragile and would never last and would eventually leave him like everyone else did. Baekhyun was different and Chanyeol knew for that very reason it was what made him dangerous, but he wasn’t sure he could escape. He wondered which would hurt more, running away or staying. All his senses screamed for him to leave. Baekhyun was the enemy. In the last task they were destined to fight each other to the death. Anything that happened between them would only end up hurting them in the end.

He took his hand.

 

“I’ve truthfully never been to this part of the castle,” Chanyeol admitted sheepishly. Now that he wasn’t looking for Baekhyun he could fully appreciate the Lunar’s guest quarters. It was magnificent, just like the rest of the Solaris palace, but the architecture had been changed in small ways to respect the Lunar people. The windows were smaller and thinner and most had heavy drapes attached to provide cover from the harsh sunlight, something that was few and rare in the rest of the palace. A few statues dedicated to the moon were placed strategically around the hall and past pictures of challengers and leaders were hung on the walls in respect. Chanyeol wasn’t surprised though when he spotted the bright red and gold colors of the Solaris, and a few tapestries of the sun that stood out boldly in the darker, cooler colors of the Lunar, his people were far too proud to have acted in any other way.

Chanyeol could feel Baekhyun staring at him curiously. He could also feel the gazes of maids and guards as they walked towards Baekhyun’s room, but the other boy didn’t seem to mind. “You’ve never been down here? Not after all these years?” Baekhyun asked disbelievingly.

Chanyeol flushed in embarrassment. He hadn’t because there was no reason to. The feud between the two races still reigned strong, the peace that tied them together as flimsy as ever. He had never gotten close enough to a Lunar to be invited to visit.

“Well then, you must come visit often!” Baekhyun said, face breaking out into a smile.

Chanyeol found himself smiling back, though more hesitantly than Baekhyun. He didn’t think he could ever be so radiant. “And you should come visit me as well,” he blurted out, shocking himself as well as the Lunar.

The boy looked stunned but after a moment his face stretched into a grin, eyes scrunching up into two crescent moons. “I’d love to,” he offered.

Their conversation drifted into a silence between them, but it was comfortable and so different from the constricting silences he experienced every day. Something so raw and breathable that Chanyeol never wanted it to end.

Baekhyun was smiling and Chanyeol was just basking in the happiness that it took them a few moments to finally realize they were standing in front of Baekhyun’s room. The boy let out a shy laugh and reached for the handle.

It was a change in the air, years of training and practice honed into Chanyeol’s own skin that brought him automatically in front of Baekhyun, hand coming up as the door swung open. The arrow hurtling toward them erupted into flames midflight, the wood setting ablaze and the arrow melting under the heat. It dropped to the ground before it even made it through the doorway.

It was the girl from before, the Lunar Chanyeol had misinterpreted as a maid. She looked shocked, bow hanging loosely in her hands. Realization seemed to dawn on her and she tried to grab another arrow but before she could the bow erupted into flames and she dropped it screaming.

Chanyeol wanted to kill. He had never wanted to set someone on fire so much, he wanted to watch her burn and suffer for what she had attempted to do. The flames smoldered in his mind, itching to grab onto the body and ignite the warm flesh, but suddenly there was pressure on his arm and someone yanked him backward, breaking his concentration, the fire burning in his head disappearing.

Then the guards were there, running past Chanyeol and grabbing onto the girl as she kicked and screamed. She yelled insults about cowardice and worthlessness at Baekhyun as she was dragged out of the room, and Chanyeol moved instinctively in front of him, shielding the other boy’s body with his own. It wasn’t until the girl’s cries had faded that he stepped away.

Baekhyun stepped out from behind him, moving into his bedroom. Chanyeol opened his mouth to say something, anything, but his mouth went dry at the sight of what remained of his room.

The once beautiful room had been destroyed. The bed was shredded to pieces, the pillows cut to rags with layers of feathers covering the room in a blanket similar to a light dusting of snow. A small bookcase at the edge of the wall had been kicked to the ground, books thrown open with pages torn out. Glass from the windows lay shattered on the floor, the drapes sliced open. A Lunar tapestry that had hung in the middle of the room been cut in an x pattern, its pieces hanging sadly from the wall.

Baekhyun walked through the mess, pieces of broken glass and paper crunching under foot. Once he came to the middle of the room he slowly lowered himself to his knees, reaching out to gently take hold of a book lying scattered on the ground. He gently picked it up and closed it, staring forlornly at the eight pointed star on the front page.

Chanyeol didn’t know what to do. He had never thought someone would do this. He understood the Lunar were mad, but he had never expected someone to destroy everything Baekhyun owned and then attempt to murder him. The mere thought left a bitter taste on his tongue. Hesitantly he stepped forward, feeling slightly out of place in the Lunar’s room, until he was standing beside Baekhyun.

The boy with the stardust hair looked up at him, eyes sad and lost, glazed over as if he wasn’t really seeing him. Baekhyun held the book out to him and Chanyeol took it wordlessly, tracing the star pattern on the front before opening to the first page.

It was a children’s book, one that he didn’t recognize. It seemed to be completely handwritten, titled The Peace of the Joint, illustrated in fine paints and curved handwriting. Chanyeol thought it was very beautiful.

“My mother made it for me,” Baekhyun whispered without looking up.

Chanyeol heart fell with a crash. This book was one of the last things Baekhyun had of his mother. The front was scratched up and the pages were folded and wrinkled from being handled so badly. Chanyeol took careful hold of the pages before smoothing them down, unfolding them until they laid flat. “Here, all better,” he said quietly, slowly sitting down and handing the book back.

Baekhyun took it wordlessly and just stared at it, caressing the edge with a blank look in his eyes. Chanyeol was at a loss of what to say and with a start he realized he hadn’t comforted someone in hundreds of years. Finally he slowly moved forward until his palm laid open on the back of Baekhyun’s hand. “I’m sorry,” he said, putting as much emotion and sincerity into the few words as he could. He couldn’t do much but he hoped Baekhyun at least knew he was there.

Chanyeol stayed with Baekhyun, the two sitting silently on the ground. At one point Baekhyun seemed to realize how late it had gotten and with gentle shoves tried to push the other out. “Shoo, I’m fine,” he said with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. Chanyeol resisted but Baekhyun was adamant. “They’re probably looking for you.”

He was right, Jongdae was probably about to throw a fit, but Chanyeol didn’t want to leave Baekhyun, especially in such a broken state.

“Stay in my room,” Chanyeol finally blurted out halfway through the door.

But Baekhyun simply smiled, this one a bit more sincere, before he closed the door.

 

When Chanyeol returned Jongdae was mad, just as he’d assumed, and unsurprisingly Kris was well, who had come in with an entourage of generals to check on him. They badgered and lectured him about missing training but the words seemed to enter one ear and slip out the other. Chanyeol’s mind was elsewhere.

Eventually only Kris was left. Chanyeol finally faced him, wondering why he wasn’t leaving but too tired to ask him to.

“I heard what happened with the Lunar today,” Kris said and Chanyeol braced himself for a lecture.

“It might have been easier if you had let the arrow meet its mark.” Chanyeol looked up but Kris was already gone.

Chanyeol set his head wearily in his hands, fingers grabbing at his locks of hair, nails digging into his scalp. If the arrow had met its mark then the two of them wouldn’t have had to face off in the third task. And yet, to have let Baekhyun die…

Maybe he was being selfish but Chanyeol didn’t want to let Baekhyun go.

 

Chanyeol was not allowed to see Baekhyun after that.

Well, it wasn’t an official rule, but the generals had increased his training time until he barely had time to sleep and he was sure Kris had a part in that for the man seemed to have eyes on him at every hour. Training until every muscle ached wasn’t new, but the consistent yearning to see Baekhyun was. He was worried about him, how he was holding up, if he was eating well, if he was okay. After the first night he’d gotten extra protection for the Lunar, and he was sure no one would try anything again, but the boy was still in his thoughts.

He was taking off his drenched practice clothes, body exhausted and weary after a long practice session, when there was a knock on the door. He stood up, wondering who it was since Jongdae and Kris usually let themselves in, and opened the door.

“Baekhyun,” he said in surprise at the sight of the Lunar standing in the doorway.

“Hi,” Baekhyun responded sheepishly, meeting Chanyeol’s gaze quickly before looking down. “May I come in?”

“Of course.” Chanyeol moved aside and Baekhyun slipped into the room. Up close Chanyeol could see he didn’t look good; there were dark rings under his eyes and he looked like he’d lost the little weight he had.

“Do you always sit in the dark?” Baekhyun asked, startling him from his thoughts. His eyes were humorous though and Chanyeol flushed.

“Sorry about that,” Chanyeol said, moving to open the curtains, but Baekhyun stopped him with a hand to his arm.

“I like it,” Baekhyun said with a small grin and Chanyeol slowly smiled back.

There was an awkward moment in which the two seemed to just stare at each other before Chanyeol started and quickly hurried to grab a chair. “Here, take a seat,” he said, embarrassed. Baekhyun smiled at him and took a hesitant spot in the chair while Chanyeol leaned against his bedpost. “So, what brings you here?”

Baekhyun glanced down at his hands, fiddling with the ring on his finger. “I just wanted to say thank you… You know, for before. Saving my life and all,” he said shyly.

“No problem,” Chanyeol insisted, shocked. It really hadn’t been. What he had done was no strain on his abilities, but what bothered him more was that Baekhyun seemed thankful for something that had been the right thing to do.

Baekhyun stood up, like he was itching to move about. “Thank you Chanyeol,” he repeated, more urgently this time, “But why?”

“Why what?” Chanyeol asked tentatively.

Baekhyun stopped pacing and turned to him. Chanyeol hesitated at the intensity of his gaze. It was questioning, forceful, and his eyes seemed to pierce his soul as if Baekhyun could see into his very core. He stepped forward and Chanyeol resisted the strong urge to move away. “Why did you save my life?”

Chanyeol faltered. “I-I don’t know.”

Baekhyun stepped forward again and this time Chanyeol did look away.

“Is it because you want something from me?”

Chanyeol looked up in shock, surprise written clearly across his face. “Of course not!” He snapped, his voice laced with hurt. How could Baekhyun think of him like that?

“Then what is it? Must I owe you now? Are you going to try to ask me about the Lunar’s weaknesses, or ask me to lose the tasks?” Baekhyun was moving closer again but Chanyeol couldn’t avert his eyes.

“I would never!”

“Then what?” Baekhyun demanded.

There was a thick pause in which Chanyeol felt like he was drowning. “I like you Baekhyun,” he finally said, his voice loud in the silence. “I want to be your friend.”

Baekhyun’s gaze softened, as if he could hear all the unsaid words that hung in the air. “Let’s be friends then, okay?” He reached forward and gently linked their fingers together. “Forever.”

Chanyeol looked down at their linked pinkies because he couldn’t look into Baekhyun’s eyes.

Forever.

But just how long would their forever last?

 

Being friends with someone was very strange.

Chanyeol hadn’t considered it before but he hadn’t ever had a true friend. At a young age he had shown great capabilities and had joined the ranks and trained as a warrior even before the tasks. His whole childhood consisted of war tactics and fighting strategies. Anyway, who was he supposed to have been friends with? Soldiers about to die in war? Men twenty years older than him? Challengers whom he would have to face to the death? Even if he was to make a friend, he didn’t age because of the tasks and everyone around him eventually died. The closest he would ever consider was Kris or Jongdae, but he had always kept a safe distance from the two because eventually they would be gone as well.

But even with those thoughts in his mind he couldn’t help but wish to be friends with Baekhyun.

Baekhyun was infectious in every way; from the way he laughed with his eyes scrunched into crescent moons and his canine teeth showing, to the way he would run without a care in the world. Even though Baekhyun was tied down in the same ways Chanyeol was to the tasks, he lived like he was free.

“How was training?”

Baekhyun was sitting in his room in the dark, lying on his back on the floor and staring at the ceiling. The first time it had happened Chanyeol had nearly burned him to a crisp, but after realizing it was him and Baekhyun making a playful joke about it, it had become a routine. Since they barely ever saw each other Baekhyun visited late at night after Chanyeol had finished practice. Chanyeol wondered about Baekhyun’s own training sessions but he never brought it up and neither did Baekhyun.

“The usual,” Chanyeol responded with a shrug. Training was growing boring as it did every year. Year after year they drilled him with decades of history only to have him forget half of it when he grabbed a sword. The second task was his weakest but Chanyeol’s ambition seemed to have been lost years ago.

They lapsed into silence but it was comfortable. It soothed Chanyeol for some strange reason; the idea of just being able to be with someone without having to say anything or be anyone. They were just there, basking in each other’s company and Chanyeol couldn’t help but smile because he had never realized how much better it was than being alone.

“If I won the task, would you hate me?”

Chanyeol looked down to where Baekhyun was lying. The boy had an arm slung over his eyes and though he may have looked relaxed, Chanyeol could tell from the slight tenseness in his shoulders that he was waiting with baited breath for an answer.

“Well, I’d be surprised since I haven’t lost the second task in 350 years,” Chanyeol teased and he saw Baekhyun’s mouth quirk upward, “But no, I wouldn’t hate you.”

The tenseness disappeared from his shoulders. “Well then, you better watch out because I’m going to kick your sorry ass,” Baekhyun teased and Chanyeol let out a bark of a laugh. Even though the tasks were no laughing matter, it was a breath of fresh air to be acting light and playful. Laughing had become a common occurrence since he met Baekhyun.

They lapsed into silence again with Baekhyun humming in the background.

“The second task is in two days.” Baekhyun’s humming cut off and Chanyeol wished he hadn’t said anything. Pretending was easier, it meant they could be friends without having to worry about anything, but through habit the tasks kept plaguing his mind.

“They are,” Baekhyun said lightly, seemingly unbothered. He seemed to consider something before slowly sitting up. “Since we probably won’t be able to speak again until the task, I was wondering… Would you like to come to the Lunar palace with me?”

For a second Chanyeol thought he had misheard him. “What?” He asked instinctively.

Baekhyun tipped his head to the side and Chanyeol was surprised by how uncertain he seemed. “Come to the Lunar palace with me,” he repeated. “But of course, you don’t have to if you don’t want to. I know it would be a burden,” he added quickly, looking flustered.

No one had ever invited Chanyeol to the Lunar palace. The challengers were always hosted by the winning race’s palace and since the Solaris had won every task he had never had a reason to go across the border.

“Of course,” he said before Baekhyun could babble on anymore. He was more shocked than anything, but the consideration by Baekhyun sent a warm feeling through his chest and brought a smile to his face. Baekhyun looked surprised for a moment as well before a large grin slipped onto his face, his eyes forming half crescents.

“I can’t wait Chanyeol,” Baekhyun said earnestly before lying back on his back again.

Chanyeol leaned backwards as well, staring up at the canopy with his mind whirling. “Me too,” he whispered.

 

The two days until the second task passed by in a blur. There were a whirlwind of lessons as Chanyeol’s teachers tried to stuff as much knowledge into his head as they could, barely letting him sleep, much less absorb any of it. He didn’t get to see Baekhyun anymore, not even for dinner, but when he mentioned it to Jongdae he said that Baekhyun hadn’t been attending training, instead packing for his trip to the Lunar Kingdom. Chanyeol didn’t mention his own plans of visiting, he knew Jongdae would be angry when he told him, so he hid his bags under his bed and decided to tell him after the tasks.

The day of the task was surprisingly quiet. Chanyeol was awoken early in the morning, dressed and primped, and while the process was as boring as usual and exhaustion was plaguing his bones, Chanyeol couldn’t help the feeling of excitement at the upcoming trip. Excitement wasn’t something he had felt in a long time and it was all because of Baekhyun.

The walk to the coliseum was routine. Chanyeol was flanked by attendants, Jongdae at his side, until they arrived at the room that would be lifted into the stadium. Baekhyun was already there, sitting in a chair and dressed in his usual plain garb. Slim fingers tapped gently on the stiff wood and he smiled when Chanyeol entered and bowed his head in acknowledgement to Jongdae. Chanyeol’s attendants flanked out and Jongdae tapped him on the arm for good luck before he exited as well.

“How have you been?” Baekhyun asked him once they were alone, a grin on his face as he leaned back in his seat to try to find a comfier spot.

Chanyeol laughed bitterly, remembering the torturous process that had been the last few days. “Wonderful,” he said, his voice laced with sarcasm. He lifted his hands and pressed the heel of his palms to his eyes. Through his exhaustion he realized he never showed this much emotion in front of others; he blamed it on how tired he was.

When Chanyeol lowered his handed Baekhyun was smiling at him, though it was softer than before. Chanyeol couldn’t help but feel a hint of jealousy, Baekhyun looked surprisingly well rested.

“Once we get to the palace you can sleep as much as you’d like,” Baekhyun offered, grin lopsided.

Chanyeol hesitated beside him and Baekhyun’s face fell. “D-do you not want to go anymore?” He asked, stutter betraying him.

“No!” Chanyeol said quickly, lips quirking up into a smile and it’s surprisingly genuine. “Of course not,” he added more gently and Baekhyun returned his smile hesitantly. “Actually, I’m rather excited,” he admitted.

Baekhyun’s face broke into a true grin and the boy reached over to touch Chanyeol’s hand, one of the only spots that wasn’t covered in the most expensive silks the Solaris could find. “I’m glad,” he said sincerely and Chanyeol blamed his heart speeding up was because of the impending task.

The stage began to shift below them and Baekhyun retreated to his chair, face turning impassive as the ceiling above them opened up and sunlight spilled over them.

“Welcome all to the second task!”

Chanyeol blinked as his vision adjusted. The stadium was as crowded as ever, but Chanyeol could hear the new distinction; the Lunar were much less vocal than before. He glanced over to see if Baekhyun had noticed but he was staring blankly ahead.

“The second task is a battle of intelligence. In this task the two challengers will compete to see which of them are superior, the Solaris or the Lunar, in a battle of knowledge.”

The second task was the weakest for Chanyeol. His attention span was lacking and no matter how much he studied things always seemed to slip his mind. However, rather than worry about it, he found himself just wishing for it to be over. He hadn’t been lying to Baekhyun, he was truly excited, though what scared him was whether it was to see the Lunar palace or be with Baekhyun.

“This challenge will be a game of riddles. The opponents will answer questions back and forth until one is unable to continue.”

Chanyeol bit back a curse. He had never been good at riddles and they had never come up before in a task. Hours of history drilling gone to waste.

The announcer lifted a hand and a coin flew out of his grasp. Its gold surface glinted in the sun as it landed, a moon staring at them face up.

“The Lunar shall go first,” the announcer declared.

“I have towns but no houses.  
Lakes but no water.  
Forests but no trees.  
And mountains but no rocks.  
What am I?”

Chanyeol fidgeted in his chair, he had heard this one before, but Baekhyun didn’t even pause.

“A map,” he said smoothly and the announcer turned to Chanyeol.

“Two bodies I have though both joined in one.  
The more I stand still,  
The quicker I run.  
What am I?”

Chanyeol felt a bead of sweat fall down his temple. The stadium was deathly quiet, its occupants waiting with baited breath for his answer. He racked his brain but everything felt like a jumbled mess. Two bodies… Joined in one…

“An hourglass,” he said, looking up.

The announcer turned away and Chanyeol let out a sigh of relief. He could barely hear the audience’s clapping over his loudly beating heart.

“A nightmare for some,  
For others as a savior I come.  
My hands, cold and bleak,  
It’s the warm hearts they seek.  
What am I?”

“Death,” Baekhyun breathed and Chanyeol felt a chill run up his spine. Baekhyun however never faltered and the announcer turned towards him once again.

“At night they come without being fetched,  
And by day they are lost without being stolen.  
What are they?”

Chanyeol blinked and he’s sure he looked confused. This riddle is unfamiliar to him, night has become something of a mere memory. He glanced at Baekhyun, as if looking at him would make everything clear.

Baekhyun stared blankly back, his eyebrows raised ever so slightly. He barely tipped his head but the sun glinted off the small movement of the jewels of his hair that shine like stars.

Stars…

“Stars,” Chanyeol said, turning back to the announcer. He thought he saw Baekhyun’s lips quirk upward.

“Until I am measured,  
I am not known.  
Yet how you miss me,  
When I have flown!  
What am I?”

Baekhyun hesitated and Chanyeol was surprised. This was a classic riddle that even young children knew. But when he glanced at Baekhyun’s face, rather than confused the boy looked almost bitter. “Time,” he said quietly after a moment. He cleared his voice but the announcer seemed to have heard him and turns back to Chanyeol. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Baekhyun unclench his fists from his robe and straighten out of the fabric.

“I can be stolen or given away and you will live,  
Yet you cannot live without me.  
What am I?”

The silence stretched on. Chanyeol stared at the announcer, mouth half open, but no words came out. He didn’t know.

He could feel Baekhyun’s gaze on him but when he looked up, instead of the indifferent look in his eyes the boy had through the task, Baekhyun’s eyes were sad, filled with something akin to pity. Chanyeol didn’t know why but it left a pang of hurt in his heart and he turned away.

“I don’t know,” he finally said, staring at the announcer.

The announcer acknowledged his answer and stood up to face the audience. Belated cheers erupted in the crowd when the Lunar seemed to realize their challenger had won. It was deafening and Chanyeol let the defeat wash over him. He felt bad he had lost the third space for the Solaris on the Council, but it was surprisingly not as painful as he thought it would be and he couldn’t help but feel relieved it was over.

“The winner of the second task is the Lunar!”

 

“Challenger.”

Jongdae bowed rigidly to him when he came out of the stadium. Chanyeol could practically see the tenseness in his shoulders. He didn’t blame him though, the last time he had lost a task he had set fire to the ballroom and locked himself in the practice room and hadn’t left for three days.

However, instead of losing it like Jongdae probably expected, Chanyeol merely clapped Jongdae on the shoulder, who jumped, and gave him a wiry smile. He didn’t miss the look of relief that passed over Jongdae’s face.

“By the way Jongdae, there was something I wanted to talk to you about…”


	3. The Third Task (1/2)

The carriage was deathly quiet.

Jongdae sat opposite of Chanyeol, looking interestedly out the window while Kris sat stoically beside him. The two hadn’t been very happy when they’d heard his plans, Kris had been downright livid, but in the end they had no choice but to comply because Baekhyun had already announced his visit and to not accept the invitation to the Lunar palace would have been detrimental. Jongdae had gotten over it rather quickly but Kris was determinedly angry.

Chanyeol on the other hand was excited. In all his years as a Challenger he had never been out of the Solaris lands and this visit to the Lunar palace would be his first. He had heard it was magnificent, its glory still standing after all these years. Even the numerous guards Kris had demanded they bring couldn’t put a damper on his mood.

Suddenly their carriage stopped and Kris and Jongdae jumped to their feet, grabbing their weapons when the door opened.

Baekhyun stood in the doorway flanked by two Solaris soldiers who looked embarrassedly flustered.

“I’m sorry, he just insisted…”

“Good evening,” he said, smiling brilliantly. “I hope you don’t mind.” With that he stepped into the carriage, plopping himself right in between the two and sitting across from Chanyeol. Their knees were touching. Up close he thought Baekhyun looked quite pleased with himself. To the side Jongdae smiled hesitantly as Baekhyun launched into a conversation with him while Kris seemed completely flabbergasted by the whole ordeal. When the carriage began to move again he swung around to chastise the guards but they were already back in position. He scowled and settled back in the seat while Chanyeol resisted the urge to laugh at his childlike attitude. Kris was very a man of tradition and Baekhyun was far from that.

“We’re getting close,” Baekhyun commented after a while. Earlier Chanyeol had been jealous when Baekhyun’s attention had been absorbed in his conversation with Jongdae, but after a while he had relaxed into his seat, staring out the window and letting Baekhyun’s soothing voice wash over him. He had missed his company.

“What’s that?” Jongdae questioned, directing their attention toward the passing fields where a series of tarps were positioned in the middle of the growing crops.

“Some of our crops can only grow in darkness so we’ve developed tarps that are mechanically operated that regulate the location of the sun to keep them constantly in the dark,” Baekhyun explained. He went on to explain more of the technology the Lunar had developed to counter the effects of the constant sunshine. Even Kris seemed interested.

“Impressive,” Kris finally murmured.

“Well, we had to adapt to survive.” Baekhyun’s voice held no blame but Kris shifted uncomfortably anyway. “Looks like we’re here,” Baekhyun said after an awkward silence.

Chanyeol turned back to the window just in time to see the Lunar palace emerge from the sloped hill. It laid in the center of a cavern, a large mountain on one side providing protection from the harsh rays of the sun. Even from their distance Chanyeol could tell it was beautiful. Whereas the Solaris castle was tall and grand with sharp edges and imposing structures, the Lunar palace was closer to the ground; composed of large connecting buildings with round sloping ceilings. When the carriage pulled up to the front of the courtyard Baekhyun bounded out without pausing to wait for the guards. Chanyeol hurried to follow him, ignoring Kris’s indignant yells behind him and the scramble of his guards to follow. He thought he heard Jongdae laughing.

A large sparkling clear pond stretched through the middle of the courtyard, the sun sparkling beautifully over it. The palace doors towered over them, a gleaming white that as Chanyeol neared realized had silver patterns engraved into it. “The story of how the Lunar first came to become,” Baekhyun whispered as the doors opened for them.

Chanyeol stepped inside with Baekhyun at his side, jaw dropping in amazement. He was used to the Solaris castle’s grandness but the Lunar palace was a whole new experience. The doors opened into a wide dome shaped building with a vast reaching ceiling. A river ran through the middle, branching down connecting corridors and filling the air with the sound of soft running water. He soon realized the tall structures scattered inside were white leaved trees growing through the floor and the sounds in the air were birdsong.

The light dimmed as the doors closed behind them until the only source of light came from the small holes that had been cut into the roof. A strange sense of nostalgia fell on Chanyeol as he realized that the room had been designed to imitate night; the holes in the ceiling forming what used to be star constellations. It was something he hadn’t seen in thousands of years, something he hadn’t ever expected to see again.

“This is beautiful,” Jongdae gasped beside him.

“I had no idea,” Kris whispered.

“Night,” Chanyeol breathed. The memories of summer nights under the stars washed over him. It had been so long…

Too caught up in his own thoughts he barely noticed Baekhyun bounce up to him. “Magnificent, isn’t it?” He said, leaning up to whisper in his ear. Chanyeol turned to look down at him. The boy wasn’t looking at him, rather at the ceiling and he could see the stars reflected in his eyes. A few lights from the ceiling glinted off the jewels in his hair and Baekhyun seemed to shine like a star himself. “It’s been a long time,” Baekhyun admitted. Then, almost unwillingly, he tore his eyes from the sight and turned back to them. “Come along, you must meet the Lunar and then I can show you to your rooms.”

They followed the river through the winding tunnels of the palace, crossing bridges whenever the river branched off into separate hallways. There were few windows along the walls, most of the light coming from strategically placed holes in the walls that Baekhyun explained were closed and opened depending on the time of day and position of the sun. Chanyeol didn’t take long to adjust to the dim lights, as he often covered his room with shades at night, but Jongdae seemed a bit disconcerted and Kris kept tripping over things.

As they continued on their way the trees began to thin out and the passageways turned into hallways. The floor turned to marble and magnificent paintings of past kings and challengers filled the elegantly crafted walls. They barely passed any people except for a few servants who bowed politely, it was unnervingly empty.

They finally entered a large open room filled with beautiful artwork and statues, the river forming a large koi pond. Baekhyun led them to an intricately drawn door at the other side of the room and two guards announced them before opening the doors.

“Your majesty,” Baekhyun said before dropping to his knees.

Chanyeol bowed but none of his people went to their knees.

“Welcome to the Lunar kingdom.”

The prince looked no more than a child. His face was young and extremely pale, with delicate, almost feminine features. He was cloaked in elaborate white robes, the fabric dotted with blue and purple jewels. Even though he looked young his gaze was strong and intelligent and Chanyeol guessed he was not as fragile as he looked.

“Prince Luhan of the Lunar,” Chanyeol greeted as he straightened.

“Thank you for your interest in the Lunar palace, Challenger. We have not hosted a Solaris in a multitude of years.” His voice held a hint of contempt which Chanyeol acknowledged. It was true, he had never been to the palace, but also, he had never been invited.

“It was my pleasure to come.”

“You must be tired from your long trip. My people can show you to your room, we may speak more at dinner tomorrow.” His gaze never faltered from Chanyeol’s.

“Actually your majesty, I can show them.”

Luhan turned to Baekhyun and Chanyeol realized it was the first time he had looked at him since they had arrived. “Ah, yes, alright,” he allowed. He turned back to Chanyeol. “You have free reign of the palace, I hope your stay is most enjoyable.” And with that and a regal nod of his head he dismissed them.

Baekhyun bowed to him again before they filled out of the room. “This way,” he instructed, gaze gentle as the doors closed behind them. He led them down the long winding corridors, apologizing for the distance but explaining it was because the Solaris guest rooms were held at the opposite side of the castle. It was clear where the palace changed; suddenly there were tall windows letting in the blinding sun and Chanyeol had to cover his eyes as they painfully adjusted to the stinging light. As they walked through the plainly decorated hallways Chanyeol spotted some areas the servants hadn’t cleared yet, undersides of shelves that were thick with dust and dirty windows. It clearly hadn’t been used in many years.

“These are the living quarters,” Baekhyun explained. He pushed open a door leading into a long hallway, windows disrupting the numerous doors lining the hallway. “The guards will stay here and Challenger, your room is at the end.” Chanyeol quirked an eyebrow at the title but didn’t say anything.

As they came to the last doorway, Kris murmured something to the guards and two of them entered the room. “It’s quite secure,” Baekhyun commented with an easy smile.

“I’m sure it is,” Kris responded gruffly.

The guards came out a few moments later and Kris nodded to Chanyeol who stepped into the room.

The room was quite beautiful, though very different from his room back at the Solaris palace. It was large and open, with tall windows that reached to the ceiling and drapes of dark blue and royal purples. He was surprised to see the drapes along the walls were held back by ropes that could be easily undone to cover the windows.

“I asked them to be put up,” Baekhyun whispered, coming up to his side with a soft smile.

Kris cleared his throat behind them and Chanyeol spun around. “Goodnight,” he said rather roughly to the entourage at the door. Kris narrowed his eyes in irritation but turned away anyway, the guards following him out. Jongdae was last, staring at Chanyeol with an eyebrow raised, before he followed suit. The door closed with a click behind them.

When he turned back to Baekhyun the boy had a cheeky, amused smile on his face which Chanyeol ignored. “Nice place,” he finally muttered.

Baekhyun looked pleased. “Glad it’s up to the great Challengers standards.”

Chanyeol let out a long groan and Baekhyun chuckled. “Anyway, goodnight. I’ll see you tomorrow for dinner. Don’t practice too hard.” But before he could leave, Chanyeol reached out and caught his hand.

“Can I see your room?” He blurted out.

Baekhyun looked surprised. He glanced down at their hands after a moment and Chanyeol quickly released him.

“Sure,” he said easily after a seconds pause. He opened the door and Chanyeol hurried to follow. As they walked down the hall a door opened to their side and Chanyeol flinched as Jongdae emerged, expecting the scolding for him for wandering. However the man merely nodded in Baekhyun’s direction before walking passed him.

Perplexed by Jongdae’s lack of reaction he barely realized how far they had gone until they were in the main courtyard, the ceiling lit up like a night sky. Baekhyun’s room was not surprisingly far. When Chanyeol asked why Baekhyun’s room wasn’t near the other Lunar quarters, Baekhyun just shrugged. “I prefer it here.” His voice held no room for questions.

He expected there to be numerous guards outside Baekhyun’s room, but the remote hallway it was located in was empty of inhabitants. Two maids passed by who bowed politely to Baekhyun, but not as respectfully as Chanyeol would have expected.

“Here it is.” Baekhyun threw the door open. His room was startlingly small, barely half the size of Chanyeol’s. It was shaped in a circle with a domed ceiling and almost completely empty except for the drapes covering the walls, a small bookcase and a round bed in the middle. It took him a moment to comprehend that the ceiling had the same star constellations as the main room but somehow Baekhyun had set it up to change like day and night.

“How did you do this?” Chanyeol asked in amazement as the room seemed to get darker as the day passed by.

“It was a gift,” Baekhyun replied.

“From who?”

Baekhyun merely smiled in response.

“Baek! You’re finally back-”

Chanyeol spun around. He hadn’t heard anyone come in. The boy that had entered was tall, nearly his height, but looked to be a few years younger than Baekhyun. He had wild dark black hair but with skin that was tanner than most of the Lunar’s and was dressed in a large white shift that seemed to dwarf his size and tight black pants. His heavily lidded eyes were wide in surprise and his mouth half open as if he was trying to say something but nothing would come out. A few wisps of black smoke trained off his skin but Chanyeol couldn’t smell or even feel any smoke in the air.

Before he could comprehend what was happening Baekhyun had strode past him, grabbing onto the boys arm and leading him quickly but gently toward the door. “We’ll talk later,” he murmured quietly. The boy turned to Baekhyun wordlessly, looking stunned, but Baekhyun merely gave him a comforting smile before closing the door gently behind him.

“Who was that?” Chanyeol couldn’t help but feel a pang of jealousy. The way Baekhyun had acted had seemed so intimate. But at the same time, he knew he had no right to feel such a way.

Baekhyun however didn’t seem to notice his tone. “Just a friend,” he explained calmly before fully turning to Chanyeol. “It’s getting late, you should leave.”

His tone wasn’t mean but Chanyeol couldn’t help but feel hurt. He opened his mouth to argue but Baekhyun had already opened the door. Chanyeol reluctantly walked out and was surprised to see the boy had already disappeared.

Baekhyun closed the door behind them and then as if understanding Chanyeol’s reluctance, apologetically touched his arm before striding forward.

As they were walking through the main courtyard, Chanyeol staying stubbornly silent and Baekhyun letting him be, suddenly Baekhyun froze, coming to a sudden stop and causing Chanyeol to nearly bump into him. He opened his mouth to question him but his voice died in his throat at the sight of Baekhyun’s alert gaze. His senses heighted as he looked around for anything strange but he couldn’t see anything in the empty room.

Suddenly there was a snap of a bowstring above them and Baekhyun yanked Chanyeol behind him. Without pause Baekhyun threw his hand up and the lights around them winked out, shrouding them in darkness.

“What the hell was that?” Chanyeol hissed, eyes wide as he tried to see where the attack had come from. He could hear disappearing footsteps, sounding near the ceiling, but he couldn’t see a thing. He reached out blindly and Baekhyun grasped his arm, attempting to tug him toward a direction only he seemed to know. “Baekhyun stop!” He yanked his arm out of Baekhyun’s terrifying grip and stepped away. “Baekhyun, what just happened? How did you do that?” He waved his hand toward the ceiling though he knew the other couldn’t see him.

But then suddenly, he could see Baekhyun. A light had begun to emit from his body, as if coming from his own being. “How?” He asked, voice low. He took a step toward him and Chanyeol took an involuntary step backward. The boy let out a hollow laugh and a chill ran up Chanyeol’s spine. “This is how.”

Baekhyun raised his hand and it glowed like a star, so bright that Chanyeol had to squint, before suddenly a huge dragon erupted from his palm; first the head with teeth bared, then the long spiked body and razor sharp claws. It flew to the ceiling, long tail whipping behind it, before it dropped to the ground and began circling around Chanyeol. Chanyeol swung around, trying to keep the head in view, before the dragon flew straight at him, jaws open and eyes burning like fire.

Chanyeol lifted his hand but he was too late. The dragon’s jaws closed around him.

And passed completely through him.

Chanyeol stared in amazement as the dragon flew straight through him, staring until the end of the tip of the tail had flown through his stomach. He looked up in confusion at Baekhyun as the dragon returned to circling around them. “H-how?” Chanyeol stuttered, stepping forward and grabbing Baekhyun’s wrist.

“How?” Baekhyun whispered and Chanyeol realized his façade had fallen, his voice sad and broken. “Can’t you see, Chanyeol? I had a secret weapon, but it’s nothing against you. I can create illusions.” His gaze dropped and he snapped his fingers and the dragon seemed to suck in on itself, disappearing until only a small ball of light floated between them. “I can create the most magnificent, beautiful things. But that’s all they are. Illusions.”

Chanyeol opened his mouth to say something, anything, but when Baekhyun looked up his gaze was hard. “It’s not safe here.” He lifted his hand and a single light escaped from the ceiling, its light pointing a thin ray toward the hallway which led to the Solaris’s lodging. “Go Chanyeol.” And with that the ball of light winked out of existence and Baekhyun disappeared.

“We’ll talk tomorrow.” His hand slipped from his grasp and then Baekhyun was gone.

 

Chanyeol drifted awake to the sound of birdsong through an open window and rays of light tickling his face. He let himself lay in bed, letting yesterday’s events wash over him, eyes shut against the protruding light.

He had somehow stumbled back into his room after Baekhyun had left. He luckily hadn’t crossed paths with any of the Solaris, though he wasn’t sure what he would have done. It had taken all his willpower to follow Baekhyun’s orders and stay in his room rather than go look for the other, though he was sure if he had he wouldn’t have been able to find him. Instead he had tried to fall asleep but had only managed to after hours of tossing and turning for sleep to finally overcome him. Even after all the sleepless hours of his mind whirling with thoughts he still had no idea of what to do.

Eventually after a few minutes of drowning in his endless thoughts Jongdae came to wake him up. While the man pulled up the curtains in the room Chanyeol couldn’t help but feel a hint of guilt toward his friend. Jongdae would’ve wanted to know about Baekhyun’s powers but he couldn’t bring himself to say anything. Instead he sat quietly and let Jongdae dress him until Kris came and collected him for practice. The Lunar had allowed them patch of woods nearby that they could use for practice. Chanyeol was not thrilled to be forced to train but he hoped it would get his mind off things.

After half an hour of the Solaris guards scouting the surrounding area for any Lunar spies, Kris finally allowed Chanyeol to start. Only about half an hour through did he realize he was going to have a bad day.

His techniques were a mess, his stances were all wrong and he had to constantly stop to keep his powers in check so he didn’t set the whole forest on fire. Jongdae seemed worried about him but Kris didn’t let up until half the day had gone by.

“What is wrong with you?” Kris finally exploded after Chanyeol had set fire to a nearby tree for the third time. Chanyeol just hung his head in response, there was nothing he could say.

Jongdae grabbed Kris’s arm before the man could burst into a full on tyrant. “Dinner is in an hour, we should head back to the practice room.”

Kris snapped one more steaming glare at Chanyeol before relenting. Jongdae pat him encouragingly on the back before holding back to walk by Chanyeol’s side. “Are you alright?” He asked once they were on the carriage.

Chanyeol just nodded and stared out the window.

As soon as they returned to the palace it was a flurry of activity as the Solaris dressed him in the most intricate and expensive garbs they could find. Once he was finally deemed acceptable Kris led the procession through the tunnels to the dinner, looking more like royalty than Chanyeol ever would. As they entered, Chanyeol was floored by how beautiful the room was. It was completely enclosed by a domed ceiling with hundreds of lanterns hanging from the ceiling casting a pale yellow glow onto its occupants and reflecting off the pale thin blue and purple drapes hung on the walls. With the sound of the stream just outside the room it made him feel like he was underwater.

In the center of the room was the long dinner table, draped in silks and expensive cutlery with the heads of the table two places instead of one. About half of the seats were full and everyone stood and bowed as the Solaris entered. Chanyeol took the seat beside Kris at one end, while Prince Luhan sat on the other side. He was surprised to realize that Baekhyun was sitting to Luhan’s side rather than beside him. Instead an older man was seated at the head of the table whom Chanyeol quickly realized was Luhan’s head war general.

Once they were all seated Luhan lifted his crystal glass. “To the Solaris for finally visiting our lands,” Luhan cheered, raising his glass. Chanyeol responded by copying his actions, choosing to ignore the quip in his voice. Kris scowled beside him.

The dinner went like most others did; Kris did most of the talking while Chanyeol sat quietly on the side and nodded his head every once and awhile. The war general seemed to have enough conversation for all of them whereas Baekhyun was surprisingly quiet, having not said a single word throughout dinner.

While observing the guests, and trying not to stare at Baekhyun too much, Chanyeol was surprised when he saw the boy that had barged into Baekhyun’s room seated near the head of the table. His slick black hair was styled perfectly and he was dressed in elaborate white clothes that made Baekhyun’s plain robes pale in comparison. He never spoke, only listening quietly to a few guests near him every once and awhile.

“Who’s that?” Chanyeol whispered to Jongdae as Kris and the war general engaged in a slightly heated conversation about the ocean lands.

Jongdae glanced curiously at him, it had been one of the first things he said all night. “His name is Kai, he’s the son of war general Kim.”

Chanyeol didn’t offer him an explanation but as he observed Kai he couldn’t help but think the two looked nothing alike.

“Are you enjoying your stay at our palace, Challenger?”

Chanyeol nodded back in response. Luhan kept attempting to make conversation with him in between scathing arguments from the war generals. “Yes your Majesty, of course. Your palace is beautiful.”

“We’re glad you have finally had time to visit,” Luhan commented, taking a sip of his wine.

Kris shifted beside him and Chanyeol could tell he was getting annoyed by Luhan’s constant jibes against him. Chanyeol merely let it wash over him, he’d been expecting it.

“It is very difficult to take time out of training for the tasks,” Chanyeol slid his gaze towards Baekhyun whose gaze was leveled at his plate, “You can understand that.” He had never visited the Lunar but at the same time the Lunar only ever visited during the time of the tasks. Though Chanyeol guessed if they had it would’ve caused an uproar.

“We try not to visit places we’re not welcome,” the war general snapped haughtily beside Luhan, the prince shooting him a warning glare.

“Not welcome?” Kris bristled. “You would be welcome if there wasn’t a threat of our throats being slit.”

At his remark half of the Lunar stood up indignantly. “How dare you accuse us of treason against the treaty?”

The Solaris rose as well. “We would not have to if it wasn’t true!”

Before the Lunar could retort, Luhan rose swiftly to his feet. “Enough,” the prince said, his voice calm but gaze cold as he looked over the Lunar. “This dinner is adjourned. I apologize for the outburst of my people.” He motioned for the doors to be opened and the Lunar swiftly exited the room. Baekhyun continued sitting until the boy, Kai, tugged on his elbow and quietly ushered him from the room.

When the door finally shut Kris whirled around, anger etched into his features. “Traitors,” he spat as the rest of the Solaris murmured their agreement. “The nerve!”

Chanyeol sighed and stood up, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hands. “Enough Kris,” he said, sounding more exhausted than annoyed. “I’m leaving.” He shoved his chair in and exited the room, ignoring Kris’s calls for him to come back.

He was already at the main courtyard when he was suddenly reminded of Baekhyun and he switched routes, heading toward the boys room in search of answers.

“Challenger.”

Chanyeol spun around. He had originally thought it was a guard Kris had sent to follow him but was surprised to see the prince. Luhan stood alone, his long white robes flowing around him, the jewels shining from the light falling from the crafted sky. Though he stood regal and tall, Chanyeol couldn’t help but think he looked very young. He wondered if others thought the same of him.

“I apologize for how my people acted.” Chanyeol was pleasantly surprised, he hadn’t expected an apology and much less one from Luhan himself. “My people… Things have been hard recently for the Lunar after all these years. Our crops are dying and sickness has ravaged our land, but if there’s one thing we still have, it’s the pride for our people and our country.” Luhan lapsed into silence and Chanyeol was honestly surprised, he had heard nothing of how the Lunar were weakening. He knew because of the constant sun the Lunar were at a disadvantage but he had never thought of how much they were suffering. He had been painfully blind.

Prince Luhan however did not seem angry, rather his gaze was gentle. “Is it true that you were attacked?” He questioned.

Chanyeol hesitated before slowly nodding. “But I didn’t see my attacker,” he said quickly after and he saw Luhan’s mouth quirk into a smile.

“You are… Much different than I had thought, Challenger,” Luhan said.

“Chanyeol,” Chanyeol said without thinking and the prince raised his eyebrows at him. “I mean, ah, you may call me Chanyeol, your Majesty.”

“Alright then,” Luhan nodded a dismissal and Chanyeol turned away, back down the corridor leading to Baekhyun’s room. “Chanyeol.”

 

As usual Baekhyun’s hallway was empty, but when he knocked on the door there was no response. Chanyeol waited for a few minutes but either Baekhyun wasn’t there or determinedly ignoring him. Half tempted to burn down the door, Chanyeol finally turned back to go to his room because although he wanted answers, he didn’t want to force them out of Baekhyun.

Throwing his door open to his room after a glum walk back he realized a second too late that someone else was in the room.

“Okay, let’s talk.”

Baekhyun sat on the edge of Chanyeol’s bed, still dressed in his dinner garb with legs crossed over one another and a pillow snuggled in his arms. He quirked an eyebrow at the fire that had formed at Chanyeol’s fingertips out of instinct and the man blushed lightly, extinguishing the flames and wishing it was as easy to make the blush on his face disappear.

“Sorry,” he grumbled. Baekhyun smiled lightly and motioned for him to come sit next to him. Chanyeol hesitantly walked over and sat at the edge, smiling slightly when Baekhyun didn’t move away when their legs touched.

Beside him Baekhyun leaned back and glanced at the ceiling. “So, what do you want to know?”

Chanyeol opened his mouth before slowly closing it. The obvious question would have been to ask about what had happened last night, but Baekhyun allowing him to ask him any question was too good of a chance to give up. He had so many, there wasn’t only one thing he wanted to know. “Everything,” Chanyeol finally said as Baekhyun turned to look at him curiously. “I want to know everything.”

Baekhyun’s lips turned up in amusement before he turned to the ceiling again. “Alright,” he said, voice growing soft. “Everything.” He took a deep breath, as if to steel himself, before he began.

“I come from a southern village, a quiet one on the edge of the Lunar territory. My family are farmers, we grow crops that are delivered to the council and distributed because of the growing scarcity of food. My powers developed when I was four but the Lunar didn’t come until I was nine which was when I was marked as a light wielder. However I didn’t show enough potential to be considered a potential challenger and was left alone until a year ago. The Lunar came to my house and said I was to participate in the tasks.

“I’m the youngest in my family. I live with my grandfather, my father and my brother. We lost my mother to sickness four years ago and it’s never been the same. When the Lunar came my grandfather got on his knees and begged for me to stay. My father insisted that I had no battle experience and that he needed my help for the farm to survive. Instead of letting me stay they sent two kids to help with farm work and took me anyway.”

Baekhyun smiled bitterly, as if the memory still burned in his mind, and Chanyeol realized there was more to Baekhyun’s story than he could have imaged. Chanyeol had been marked since the beginning, he had shown potential ever since he was a baby, but Baekhyun had had a home and a family, he had had his whole life taken away from him.

“They took me to the palace and tested my powers, but I’ve never had any formal training and can only cast simple illusions I’ve taught myself. They tried to train and develop them, but learned soon learned that that’s all they were, illusions. They suggested dark handed tactics but I refused to stoop so low. I thought they would force me, make me train to the bone and become a killer, but instead left me alone, saying I would fight in the tasks whether I liked it or not.

“I didn’t care though. I would rather die than kill.

“One day however I overheard two guards talking about the training of another. It was then that I realized the truth. They didn’t bother to train me because I wasn’t important enough to put the effort into.” He let out a bitter laugh that sent chills down Chanyeol’s spine.

“Don’t you see?” He asked softly, his hands resting on his hands in his lap. “I’m here to buy time for the Lunar while they train their real competitor. Even to my own people I do not matter.”

“You matter to me!” Chanyeol said fiercely, grabbing Baekhyun’s hand and making the boy jump in surprise. Baekhyun made to pull back but Chanyeol’s grip was tight, trying to show how hard he would hold on. Baekhyun studied him deeply as if to see if he was lying.

“I’m…” Chanyeol struggled to find words. “I’m sorry,” he finally settled on, though he knew such plain words would never be enough. “What they did to you… It’s unacceptable. They can’t just use people for their own bidding. You’re a human being, not a tool to be used. And I,” Chanyeol moved closer, grabbing Baekhyun’s other hand in his and forcing the boy to stare him in the eyes, “Think you are one of the most amazing human beings I have ever met.

“You’ve never resorted to tricks or lies, never went against your own beliefs and you absolutely never gave up. So many people before you have tried to murder me in my sleep, poison my food or drink, shoot me in the back… But you, you would rather die living by your own beliefs than live a life you didn’t believe in. And that I will respect forever.”

Then, as if out of impulse, Chanyeol lifted Baekhyun’s hand to his lips and laid a gentle kiss on his knuckle.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door and the spell between them was broken. Chanyeol leapt to his feet, letting Baekhyun’s hands fall from his grip.

“Challenger? Are you in?” Jongdae’s voice called out.

“Jongdae, wait a second-”

The door swung open and Jongdae strolled in, a stack of papers in his hands. Chanyeol swung around, trying to come up with an excuse for why the Lunar challenger was in his room, but Baekhyun stood stock still against the wall, a finger to his lips.

“Chanyeol, tomorrow we have… What are you looking at?”

Chanyeol spun around, mouth agape and a look of shock on his face before he slowly shook his head. “… Nothing. Continue.”

Jongdae stared at him weirdly before turning back to his papers. “Anyway. Practice begins at 8 tomorrow morning sharp. You’re going to have to attend lunch with the Lunar but Kris canceled the dinner party held tomorrow. You’ll have some time at night to catch up on some sleep.”

Chanyeol nodded warily. “Alright,” he said.

Jongdae paused, as if waiting for more of a reaction, before seeming to accept Chanyeol’s lack of response and bowed respectfully. He spared him another strange look before turning around and closing the door behind him.

As soon as Jongdae had left Chanyeol spun around. “How did you-”

“Illusion,” Baekhyun said quickly, already moving towards the door. Chanyeol saw a disruption in the air before he quickly moved to catch his hand. “I have to go,” he said quietly, staring down at their hands.

“Wait,” Chanyeol insisted but Baekhyun gently removed himself from his grip.

Baekhyun paused at the door, slowly turning around, chewing on his bottom lip as he tried to find words. “Chanyeol… Thank you,” he said quietly before he opened the door and disappeared.


	4. The Third Task (2/2)

Chanyeol had been afraid that after that night Baekhyun would avoid him but surprisingly instead the boy seemed to stick closer. Every night Baekhyun would join him in his room after the rest of the castle was asleep and ask him about his life, his family, his friends, training, even the tasks. And with the time they spent together, sitting together side by side in bed until late at night, he learned about him too.

As each day passed Chanyeol felt himself falling deeper; from the jewels in his hair to the sharp canine teeth that appeared when he smiled to the way his eyes slanted down at the corners. It was only when they had two days remaining until the third task that Chanyeol realized he had to do something.

He couldn’t lose Baekhyun.

 

Chanyeol couldn’t help but feel as if he was being followed.

It had been happening all day, for a few days actually. Years of training had honed the ability to sense if someone was following him and he could just feel the gaze on the back of his neck, but every time he turned around he could never find anything out of place. The continuous feeling of unease was setting him on edge.

“I’m going to return to my room,” Chanyeol said, stepping away from the group. The Solaris had just finished training and were heading to the dining hall. Kris frowned but Chanyeol interrupted the man before he could be chastised. “I’m not really hungry,” he offered halfheartedly. Kris’s brows furrowed even more but Jongdae cut in and quickly maneuvered the group away, sending Chanyeol a look which he silently thanked him for. Jongdae always seemed to understand him. He turned down a separate hallway towards the Solaris’s room but halfway down he rounded a corner and turned into a separate empty hallway.

He was still walking, gaze straight ahead, when he suddenly spun around. He grabbed onto his pursuers clothing before the man could escape and slammed him up against the wall.

Only once he had captured him did he realize it was Kai.

“Why the hell have you been following me,” he snapped after his initial surprise had worn off. He knew Baekhyun was friends with him, but he was the enemy and he shouldn’t have trusted him. Was he trying to kill him?

Kai’s eyes were wide, more of surprise in being caught than anything. Soon however his surprise was replaced by a frown. “Let go of me.”

“Are you trying to kill me?” Chanyeol snapped, shoving Kai harder against the wall. “If you are you’re going to have to try a lot harder.”

“Baekhyun asked me to follow you,” Kai spit out and in surprise Chanyeol loosened his grip. There was a pause in which the two observed each other before Chanyeol slowly released him, stepping away. Kai scowled at him as he fixed his shirt, rubbing his neck from the soreness of Chanyeol’s grip. “He said he was worried,” he grumbled, though he looked irritated by the request.

“I don’t need your protection,” Chanyeol said, crossing his arms indignantly. It did however please him that Baekhyun was worried at him.

“Clearly,” Kai said with a huff. “That’s what I said too. I mean, there has to be a reason why you’ve survived this long.”

There was an awkward pause as the two stared each other down before Kai let out a long suffering sigh. “Baekhyun’s going to die.”

Chanyeol stiffened. “What?”

“In the tasks,” Kai elaborated, leaning back against the wall. He was handsome and Chanyeol felt a rush of jealousy run through him. The boy closed his eyes and rubbed the heel of his hand against his eyes. “We both know it. Baekhyun could never defeat you.”

At that, Chanyeol went silent. He had been avoiding this conversation for a long time.

“But neither of us want that,” Kai ventured, opening his eyes and locking gazes with Chanyeol, “Right?” He raised an eyebrow when Chanyeol didn’t respond, though he didn’t have to because Kai could see it in his gaze. “Either he kills you or you kill him. Someone has to die… But not if I get him out.”

Chanyeol’s head shot up in confusion. Had he heard him right? “What? How?”

Kai shrugged, avoiding Chanyeol’s gaze of suspicion. “Why does it matter,” he snapped defensively. “I can get Baekhyun away from the tasks and away from the Lunar. He’ll survive and you two won’t have to fight. But you need to talk to him.”

“Me?” Chanyeol blanched. “Why?”

“Because I’ve tried! You need to convince him, he won’t listen to me!” Chanyeol didn’t seem completely convinced and Kai sighed, throwing his hands into the air. “Listen, if Baekhyun disappeared than the Solaris would win by default and we’ll move onto the next tasks in fifty years.”

“They’ll look for him.”

Kai’s gaze was dark. “They’ll never find him.”

“How do you even know this will work?” Chanyeol asked, frowning. It seemed farfetched, but if there was a possibility of keeping Baekhyun alive…

Kai looked sad. “You don’t have to trust me, but you do have to believe me when I say this is the only way Baekhyun’s going to get out of this alive.”

Chanyeol didn’t trust Kai, but he wasn’t doing this for him.

“Okay. I’ll do it. For Baekhyun.”

Kai’s face was determined. “For Baekhyun.”

 

That night Chanyeol waited for Baekhyun as always, lying back on his bed in the darkness as he waited for the small finger taps on his door at alerted him to the boy’s presence. They came only minutes later and Chanyeol opened the door, smiling as Baekhyun bounced in, his usual playful grin on his face. “How was your day?” Baekhyun asked as he sauntered up to Chanyeol’s bed and plopped onto the edge of it.

“Fine,” Chanyeol said with a slight shrug of his shoulders, coming to sit gingerly beside him.

Baekhyun frowned at his lack of response. “What’s the matter?” He asked, concerned.

Chanyeol leaned back in the bed, staring at the ceiling. “I talked to the Kai today.”

Baekhyun’s gaze furrowed deeper. “Why?”

“He said…” Chanyeol glanced at him, trying to gauge his reaction. “He said he could help you escape.”

When Baekhyun didn’t respond Chanyeol hurried to continue. “He didn’t tell me exactly how but he said he has a way for you to get away from the tasks. He says he can save your life and you won’t have to battle and you won’t have you die. You’ll be safe and far away from the reach of the Solaris and Lunar’s power. You can be free.”

He expected Baekhyun to be happy, even relieved, and though it may have hurt, Chanyeol was willing to endure the pain. But Baekhyun simply stared at the wall, face blank except for the slight strain in his fingers as his grips tightened on the bed sheets.

“I’m not leaving.”

Chanyeol frowned. He hadn’t been expecting that reaction. He knew Baekhyun never wanted to be in the tasks and this was his way out.

“Did Kai put you up to this?” Baekhyun asked, swinging around to him and frowning disapprovingly. “Listen, I may not agree with the tasks but I’m not a coward. I will not run away.”

“Baekhyun,” Chanyeol said calmly, trying to make him see reason. “You’re going to die.”

“Then I will die!” Baekhyun challenged.

“This is no time to be noble!”

“I’m not being noble!” The two glared at each other for a moment before Baekhyun’s gaze softened. “Listen, Chanyeol… Have you even considered what would happen if I disappeared? You may win by default, but the Lunar would never agree. A war would break out. I would be hunted down, no matter how far Kai took me away. I would be running for the rest of my life and that is not how I want to live.” Baekhyun leaned forward and laid a comforting hand on his knee. “Besides, where would I go? Everything I love his here.”

Chanyeol knew he wasn’t speaking about him but he couldn’t help the lump that formed in his throat. “But Baekhyun,” Chanyeol said desperately, leaning forward, trying to ignore the pounding of his heart at their close proximity. “You’d be alive.”

Baekhyun shook his head. “But I wouldn’t be happy. And that is not a life worth living.”

Chanyeol continued shaking his head. He didn’t want him to die. There had to be something he could do. He stood up and stepped forward, meaning to try to get the other to see reason, but Baekhyun interrupted him, holding up his hand. “I’m visiting my family tomorrow,” he said abruptly. Chanyeol opened his mouth to argue but Baekhyun shook his head, refusing to speak more about it. “Please, stop,” he whispered.

The pleading tone in his voice made Chanyeol’s heart wrench. “Would you like to come?” Baekhyun asked hesitantly a moment after, voice forcibly bright.

Chanyeol swallowed thickly, fists clenching at his sides. “Alright.” He finally whispered and Baekhyun smiled gently before slowly guiding him back to the bed and changing the subject to how his day had been. Chanyeol just listened and tried to grasp as much as much of him as he could because he knew their time was soon coming to an end.

 

The next morning Chanyeol woke early to go with Baekhyun. Telling Jongdae had been difficult, but after seeing Chanyeol’s deep circles and his exhausted blood shot eyes he had eventually agreed and allowed the visit. It would be their last day in the Lunar lands anyway, that night they would head back to the Solaris kingdom to prepare for the third task. Baekhyun was waiting outside for him in a carriage surrounded by Solaris guards, smiling brightly when he joined him, but as they slipped into the carriage he could see the strain in his eyes and all Chanyeol could do was slip his hand into Baekhyun’s as they traveled deeper into Lunar territory.

Seeing the Lunar territory for the first time was fascinating. It was more farm land than anything which Chanyeol guessed was because it was harder to grow crops. The headed away from the main cities and deeper into the outskirts of the land where roads turned to dirt paths and people became scare. Baekhyun barely looked at him, instead keeping his gaze on the rolling hills outside the window. Chanyeol let them ride in silence, alternating between watching the scenery and watching Baekhyun. Their connected hands made him feel a bit better.

After a while Baekhyun’s grip tightened suddenly and Chanyeol looked out the window. A small farm cottage had come into view, interrupting the sloping hills of farm land. The carriage pulled to a stop and the soldiers outside moved into formation around them. Beside him, Baekhyun seemed frozen on the spot, his gaze never faltering from the cottage. Chanyeol paused before leaning toward him, taking his other hand in his as well. “Don’t worry, I’m right here,” he whispered.

Baekhyun turned to him and blinked, as if finally seeing him. He belatedly squeezed Chanyeol’s hands before letting go, standing up and straightening his clothes. He had worn something a bit fancier, silk layers of dark purples and blues adorned with jewels at the hems. “Thanks,” he said, voice slightly hoarse before he opened the carriage door.

They walked up the small slightly worn path to the cottage. Chanyeol had requested the guards stay behind and reluctantly they had agreed. As they walked they passed two young teenagers, only a few years younger than Baekhyun, who had been working in the field and bowed deeply when they passed. Baekhyun bowed back just as respectfully. At the door Baekhyun held his hand up to knock but paused. When Chanyeol looked at him he realized his hand was shaking.

Chanyeol slowly placed a hand gently on Baekhyun’s shoulder and lowered his arm before he raised his own and knocked on the door.

There were a few moments before the door opened. It was a man, someone who was finally showing the strains of age. Wrinkles had begun to line his face and his hair was receding and turning gray, though it took nothing away from his severe eyes. There was a moment’s hesitation before he slipped his hat off, eyes locked on the boy beside him.

“Baekhyun,” he whispered, voice hoarse as if shocked. Chanyeol could only think that he’d thought he would never see his son again.

Baekhyun bowed low and Chanyeol followed. “Father.” His voice didn’t falter but Chanyeol knew his hands were still shaking.

Baekhyun’s father finally seemed to spot Chanyeol and Baekhyun quickly bowed again, introducing him. “This is Chanyeol, he’s a friend.”

The man raked his gaze down Chanyeol’s body. “A friend,” he repeated. Chanyeol could tell he didn’t quite know what to think, but he never questioned them and instead opened the door wider to let them through.

The cottage was small but surprisingly warm, completely different from the towering walls of the palaces. Chanyeol could smell a nice aroma of cooking and he couldn’t remember the last time had had a home cooked meal. “You should… Stay for dinner.” Baekhyun’s father scratched behind his ear and Chanyeol was surprised at how much he was fidgeting.

Baekhyun smiled softly before motioning toward one of the doors. “Is grandfather in?”

“Oh, yes,” the man said quickly, eyes darting to the room.

Baekhyun didn’t pause before stepping over to the door. He raised a hand to knock and after a moment there was a soft reply from inside. Baekhyun seemed to brace himself before he opened the door.

The man inside was very old. He was propped up in bed and his face was lined with age. However, when the door opened a spark formed in his eyes at the sight of his grandson. “Baekhyun,” the man breathed out, weakly lifting his hands.

“Grandfather,” Baekhyun whispered before launching himself across the room. He collapsed in the elderly man’s arms, pressing his face into the nape of the man’s clothes.

His grandfather placed shaking arms around him. “Baekhyun, my Baekhyun…” He whispered, closing his eyes as he began to rock the boy in his arms.

Chanyeol couldn’t even remember his grandparents but the sight made his heart ache. He felt like he was an intruder. He meant to step out of the room, maybe wait in the carriage, it had been a bad idea to come, when Baekhyun sat up abruptly. “Grandfather, this is Chanyeol,” he said, wiping at his eyes.

Though the man was older and weak, Chanyeol couldn’t help but feel his gaze was more intense than Baekhyun’s father’s. “Chanyeol,” the man repeated. His eyes seemed to grasp everything at once and Chanyeol knew, even though he had worn the simplest clothes he owned and tried to be inconspicuous, that the man knew who he was. “You’re taking care of my Baekhyun, right?”

Chanyeol bowed, surprised he hadn’t mentioned his identity. “Of course.”

Baekhyun laughed and leaned into his grandfather’s embrace. “More like I’ve been taking care of him,” he teased.

“Good.” The man continued to observe him but when Baekhyun began questioning about his health he turned his head away, letting the subject drop. “I’m fine,” the old man snapped, though his tone was anything but mean. Rather, he seemed amused. “I’m still breathing. I haven’t become a bag of bones yet.”

Chanyeol was content with just watching and listening to the two when the door opened. Baekhyun’s father stood in the door, looking as hesitant as he had before. “Dinner’s ready,” he grunted before walking away. Chanyeol assisted with helping Baekhyun’s grandfather into the main room and the four of them sat at the small table. There wasn’t much food to eat but Chanyeol could tell the food was made with care and he appreciated it.

“The foods delicious father,” Baekhyun said at one point with a smile. His father didn’t meet his eyes and grunted in response.

“It’s the best food I’ve had in a while,” Chanyeol cut in. The man looked up in surprise, staring at him for a few calculating seconds before turning back to his plate.

Suddenly the front door opened and a young man in his mid-twenties strode in with a bag over his shoulder. It didn’t take long for Chanyeol to see the resemblance. “Why is there a carriage outside…?” His voice drifted off as he took in the state of the kitchen. His eyes widened in shock when he saw Baekhyun.

Baekhyun hurried to his feet. “Baekbeom!”

Baekbeom dropped his bag in astonishment and took a step forward. “Baekhyun-” He paused however when his gaze landed on Chanyeol. Chanyeol froze and he could see the gears whirling in his mind as he connected his identity. “You’re… You’re the Solaris Competitor!”

Chanyeol flinched. Before he could say anything Baekbeom sprang forward, hand pulled back in an obvious attempt to punch Chanyeol, but before his fist could connect Baekhyun stepped in, grabbing his brother’s arm and yanking it down forcefully.

“What the hell are you doing?” Baekbeom snapped, surprise and betrayal glittering in his eyes as he yanked his hand out of Baekhyun’s grasp.

“Baekbeom-”

“Baekhyun, this is the Solaris Challenger! Your opponent! The enemy! Solaris scum right from the bottom.” When Baekhyun didn’t move he snapped, “He’s going to kill you!” When he garnered no response he turned to his father and grandfather. “He’s murdered countless others for his bloodthirsty kind and you’re sitting here feeding him?” He exploded. His father shifted uncomfortably while his grandfather stared impassively at him.

“Baekbeom, stop,” Baekhyun finally said, staring pleadingly at him. Baekbeom stared incredulously between them, mouth agape. “Please,” Baekhyun repeated, reaching for him.

Baekbeom just shook his head and yanked his arm painfully from Baekhyun’s grip. “If you want to get stabbed in the back than go ahead. I don’t want to watch.” He turned harshly and threw the door open, sprinting out. Baekhyun took a step after him before slowly dropping his hand.

All Chanyeol could do was stand frozen. He opened his mouth to apologize, say anything, but nothing came out. Finally Baekhyun slowly turned around to face his family, gaze conflicted. “I should leave.”

Chanyeol opened his mouth to argue that he should leave instead, after all everything his brother had said was true, but Baekhyun had already moved forward to hug his grandfather. His father had left the room.

“Stay healthy,” Baekhyun whispered, bowing low. He glanced to where his father had disappeared before he quietly left the house.

Chanyeol hurriedly made to follow, bowing stiffly to the old man. But before he had stepped through the door he heard his name being called. He spun around and Baekhyun’s grandfather fixed him with his intense gaze, locking him in place. “Take care of my grandson.”

Chanyeol slowly nodded before turning and hurrying after Baekhyun.

The guards looked stunned at their abrupt exit and quickly hurried to open the carriage door for Baekhyun who walked swiftly towards them. He clambered in and Chanyeol quickly followed. “Baekhyun, I’m so sorry,” he said immediately after they were seated.

“It’s not your fault,” Baekhyun cut in, looking tired and haggard.

“Yes it is, I shouldn’t have come-”

“I asked you, so stop.”

The words died on his tongue. Chanyeol felt horrible. He knew he should have never come, he had ruined the last possible chance for Baekhyun to be with his family. And everything Baekbeom had said was true, Chanyeol was the enemy. He was supposed to kill Baekhyun.

Suddenly a soft hand touched the back of his. Chanyeol looked up, meeting Baekhyun’s gentle gaze. The boy’s smile was small. He slowly laced their fingers together before turning his gaze to the window to watch the Lunar land pass by. Chanyeol traced Baekhyun with his eyes, from the stars in his hair to the slant of his eyes to his small button nose to the curve of his jaw all the way to his long beautiful fingers interlaced with his.

Chanyeol selfishly couldn’t let go.

 

When they arrived back at the Solaris palace instead of letting go Baekhyun surprisingly tugged him gently from his seat and led him out of the carriage. The guards seemed to have gotten used to Baekhyun’s strange antics, and Chanyeol was sure he looked miserable, so they didn’t say anything. The path to Chanyeol’s room was empty and Baekhyun didn’t pause until they were inside with the doors firmly locked behind them.

“Sit,” Baekhyun said, guiding him to the edge of the bed. Chanyeol felt a wave of claustrophobia hit him, it was going to be the last night Chanyeol ever spent with him.

“I’m sorry,” Baekhyun said once he settled in a chair opposite of him.

Chanyeol’s head snapped up so fast he almost strained his neck. Baekhyun stared at him with such a sincere, sad look in his eyes that Chanyeol felt a sharp pain pierce his heart. “No Baekhyun,” he insisted, quickly grabbing Baekhyun’s hands. “It’s not your fault. You don’t have to be sorry.”

Baekhyun shook his head like Chanyeol didn’t understand. “I am. I know how much you’re blaming yourself right now, but you have to realize that I chose this. This is the path I’m going to take.”

Chanyeol stood up, hauling a surprised Baekhyun up with him. He seemed so light and fragile in his hands, but Chanyeol knew he was one of the strongest people he knew. “This doesn’t have to be your final choice,” he insisted. “Kai will help. We can help you escape, maybe into the southern lands. We can even get your family! You won’t have to fight, you’ll live in peace and you can live with your grandfather…” But Baekhyun just stared at him with such pity that Chanyeol wanted to cry. “I’ll protect you,” he promised desperately.

“Oh Chanyeol,” Baekhyun whispered, reaching up to cup Chanyeol’s face in his hands. “Don’t betray your people. I’m not worth it.”

Baekhyun’s words left a bitter taste in Chanyeol’s mouth. “Yes you are!” He exploded, grabbing Baekhyun’s shoulders, his knuckles white as he resisted shaking the boy. “Don’t you ever say that! You are worth everything; the moon, the sun, the stars. Please Baekhyun, let me do this. Let me save you.”

Baekhyun smiled but it felt like a goodbye. “You can’t save me.”

Everything felt wrong. Baekhyun was giving up his life for people who never cared about him and it just wasn’t fair. He made one last frantic attempt. Chanyeol grabbed Baekhyun’s hand and the boy let out a yelp as it was dragged to a spot over his chest. “Take it.”

“What?” Baekhyun’s eyes were wide. He tried to disentangle himself but Chanyeol held on tight, his other hand trying to pull Baekhyun closer.

“My heart,” Chanyeol pleaded, close to his hysterics. Everything was wrong. He felt his legs collapse under him and Baekhyun hurried grabbed him, barely managing to catch them before they fell to the ground. Ignoring the pain in his knees Chanyeol used the momentum to pull Baekhyun’s hand closer to his chest, ripping the fabric open to expose his bare skin right where his heart laid. “Take it. Kill me.”

Understanding dawned in Baekhyun’s eyes. He went very quiet. “I can’t do that Chanyeol,” he finally whispered.

“Why?” A cold laugh escaped his mouth but the hollowness in his tone made him feel even worse. “What’s so different from now than tomorrow?”

“There is none.” Baekhyun averted his gaze. A single sliver of light escaped from the covered windows and it shined directly down the middle of them, almost like a curse from the sky itself. “I won’t be able to tomorrow either.”

Chanyeol let out a strangled noise. He could feel his whole world collapsing before his eyes. The small world he had trapped himself in all these years was crumbling down. In a last desperate attempt he grabbed Baekhyun by the back of his neck and kissed him.

Baekhyun kissed him back feverishly. They moved with a frantic grace, a rhythm that Chanyeol knew he could never share with anyone else. Chanyeol had a tight hold on Baekhyun’s shoulders but Baekhyun was grabbing at him like the world depended on it.

After a moment Chanyeol felt something wet drop onto his hands and he realized Baekhyun was crying. With his heart beating erratically in his chest he leaned backwards and kissed Baekhyun quickly on the nose before separating, resting his forehead against his as they both gasped for air.

Chanyeol gently lifted a finger to Baekhyun’s eyes and wiped the tears that were brimming over. He had never seen Baekhyun cry and it hurt his heart right down to his core. “Don’t cry, my light,” he whispered.

Baekhyun let out a choked laugh and raised a hand to wipe the tears that Chanyeol hadn’t realized he had. “We should’ve done that sooner,” he said jokingly, pulling a small smile from Chanyeol.

“This doesn’t have to be the end,” he insisted, but he knew the look in his eyes and knew there was nothing he could do to change Baekhyun’s mind.

“Choosing to participate as in the tasks was my choice. To become a challenger, to give up my family, to fight to the death.” Baekhyun gently touched the side of Chanyeol’s face when he flinched but his touch only turned the pain into a dull ache. “And if given the chance to choose again I wouldn’t change my decision. Meeting you was the best thing that ever happened to me.”

Chanyeol took Baekhyun’s hand and gently brought it to his mouth, laying a chaste kiss on his palm. “Which is why I want to protect you.”

Baekhyun smiled. “I wish to protect you. No one will be sacrificing themselves this year. My family will be well taken cared for, and you will be out of harm’s way.”

“You’re sacrificing yourself,” Chanyeol insisted.

“I’d rather it be me than someone else.”

“You’re just as important as anyone else!” Chanyeol pleaded. He wished Baekhyun could see how important he was.

But Baekhyun just smiled sadly at him. After a moment he took Chanyeol’s hand in both of his. “However, I do urge you… Please be careful in the next tasks.” His gaze was pained and Chanyeol knew the words he were speaking shouldn’t be said at all.

Chanyeol couldn’t help the hurt that flashed in his eyes. “Why are you worrying about me?” He snapped. “You’re the one sacrificing yourself.”

Rather than get angry the boy hooked his hand behind Chanyeol’s head and pulled him to his chest, wrapping his arms comfortingly around him, gently rocking them back and forth to calm his breathing. Chanyeol could only respond by tightly grabbing him back.

“You don’t have to do this,” Chanyeol whispered, his voice slightly muffled. His eyes were closed but he could hear Baekhyun’s heart beating soft in his chest.

“I can be stolen or given away and you will live,  
Yet you cannot live without me.”

It was the riddle from the second tasks, the one Chanyeol hadn’t known the answer to. “Do you know why you couldn’t answer the riddle Chanyeol?” Baekhyun asked, raising his hand to gently stroke his hair.

Chanyeol shook his head. “No,” he said quietly. He glanced up at the soft panes of Baekhyun’s face which were strained with pity. “Why?”

“Because you’ve never given your heart away,” Baekhyun whispered, leaning down and running a hand along the side of Chanyeol’s face, gently moving the wisps of wild red hair away from his face. “To survive these tasks you’ve locked your heart in a prison and you’ve kept your emotions hidden. You never let anyone get close to your, or enjoy these long years you’ve been given. You’ve never loved, my dear child of the sun. Make a promise to me. After I’m gone, open your heart.”

Chanyeol found himself shaking his head. He could never have anyone other than Baekhyun.

“You’ve kept it locked up for so long Chanyeol, isn’t it tiring?”

But his words were useless. Baekhyun could see it in his eyes; Chanyeol would never be able to love again. Baekhyun leaned forward and laid a chaste kiss on Chanyeol’s lips, this one slower and less desperate. It seemed to warm him from the inside out and Chanyeol knew a life without Baekhyun wasn’t worth living.

“I love you,” Chanyeol whispered after they had parted. The words had slipped out of his mouth but he didn’t regret them, they felt right.

Baekhyun’s smile was blinding. “I love you too.”

That night, the two spent their last night together embraced under the covers, the sound of each other’s hearts beating comfortingly in their ears. “I’ll protect you,” Chanyeol whispered, staring at the soft panes of Baekhyun’s face as he slept beside him. When his breathing had slowed into a steady rhythm and Chanyeol was sure the boy was in a deep slumber, Chanyeol carefully disentangled himself from their embrace and disappeared to find Kai.

 

From the shadows Kai gave him a subtle nod. Chanyeol responded back before focusing his attention back on the center of the stadium, heart pumping wildly in his chest. They would have one chance. Kai was ready. He had been rather annoyed to be woken up at the dead of night when Chanyeol had gone to find him, but he had agreed in the end. Kai would help them escape. They would run away. Chanyeol knew Baekhyun would be furious at him, but he had decided. They would be together. They would be on the run for the rest of their lives, but he’d do anything for an eternity with Baekhyun.

The doors at the opposite end of the arena opened and sunlight streamed down on Baekhyun as he entered. It felt like a mirror image of the first task, except this time Chanyeol’s heart leapt when he saw the boy and his intentions weren’t quite the same. He was dressed surprisingly extravagant in the finest silks of white, blue and purple. The jewels in his hair shined brighter than ever, reflecting off the beautifully colored jewels embedded in his long flowing robes. Chanyeol couldn’t help but appreciate how beautiful he was. He had been mistaken before. Baekhyun wasn’t a star. He was the moon, so beautiful he put the stars to shame.

Chanyeol took his cue and stepped across the stadium, walking up the podium to come stand beside Baekhyun on the sun shape carved into the ground, expression incredibly blank. His robes were heavy, numerous layers of red and orange that seemed to move with the light and come alive. Fire.

The moon and the sun. The day and night their people were determined never to see.

“Welcome all to the third task!” The announcer’s voice bellowed out and the crowd went wild. Years of suppressed contempt surged inside Chanyeol at the sight of so many people thirsty for blood. He could not believe he had fought for these people for so many years. “This is the final task. The third task is a competition between their abilities. The two challengers will compete to see which of them are superior, the Solaris or the Lunar, and to find out who is worthy of ruling the skies.

“There are no rules. The tasks end only when there is one challenger left standing. A battle to the death.”

Suddenly the sky darkened. The crowd began stirring, surprised at the sudden shadows coming across the sky. When they glanced up they expected to see clouds but a dark shadow loomed over them, completely blank except for the fading sun. Chanyeol looked up and he could see Kai staring in shock. The crowd was getting wild, no one had seen this much darkness in thousands of years.

“What you see here… Is night.”

Chanyeol turned to Baekhyun, stunned. The boy was glowing slightly, a warm glow around his body. At his words small specks of light began forming in the sky, stars that formed constellations that reflected off Baekhyun’s eyes. The stadium had gone quiet and his voice resonated as if he was the only one there.

“The world was once like this. Split between equal hours of sunlight and darkness, creating a balance that nothing else could match. During this time, both the Solaris and the Lunar flourished. There was an abundance of crops, enough land, no wars. The people lived peacefully and we were known as the greatest beings ever to have walked the earth. But that was long ago. Because of our greed we have kept ourselves from becoming the great races we once could have been. Our enemies are ourselves.

“But this darkness you see here…” Suddenly the night sky disappeared and the harsh sun’s rays shone back onto the earth. The crowd cringed in tandem at the sudden onset of light and Chanyeol blinked away dark spots. “Is just an illusion. Our races are dying. The Lunar are starving and without the Lunar the Solaris will soon follow. Nothing grows as well as it once did, our people are not as strong. The world needs balance but without it we will meet our end.”

Baekhyun lifted his hand and a small moon appeared in front of him. Darkness of night spread around it, stars blinking into existence as he held a small part of the sky in his palm. “But it doesn’t have to be an illusion. Night can become real once again, but only if the two races work together. We must give up our greed and desire to own the skies and share in the beauty that is the world to make it a better place. We’re stronger together. Day and night.” In his palm the image began to shift, almost turning, until a sun began peeking out of the corner, cushioned in blue sky. Baekhyun’s gaze dropped onto Chanyeol’s. “The Sun and the Moon.”

The stadium was still, as if Baekhyun’s words as reduced them to silence. But Baekhyun continued to stare at Chanyeol like it was only the two of them, gaze focused as if he was trying to commit their last moments to memory. Chanyeol stiffened.

“I hope one day the moon will rise again. Too bad I will not live long enough to witness it.”

Chanyeol was sprinting before the words had escaped his mouth. Baekhyun’s legs folded under him and he collapsed. Chanyeol slid the rest of the way, barely managing to catch him before his head hit the ground. His face was cold and clammy, beads of sweat trailing down his face. His eyes were glassy, gaze faraway. Chanyeol couldn’t believe how he had kept standing for so long.

“Medic! I need a medic!” Chanyeol yelled, gently lowering Baekhyun to ground as the boy grasps weakly at his clothes.

Baekhyun’s gaze focuses slowly on Chanyeol’s face and a smile spreads across his features. “Don’t bother, it’s too late,” he tries to tell him.

Chanyeol shook his head frantically. “Don’t speak, you’re wasting your energy.”

A medic came upon the scene, a young boy with dark brown hair and frightfully wide eyes. He was dressed in Solaris clothing but Chanyeol thought he had seen him before down in the practice rooms. He placed his hands on Baekhyun’s chest, his palms glowing green as he ran them gently down his sides. Baekhyun let him, his breath coming out slower and shallower by the second. The boy’s eyes narrowed for a moment before he looked up. Chanyeol could see the pity in his eyes as he shook his head sadly. “I’m sorry, there’s nothing I can do. The poison has already spread too far.”

Chanyeol let out a howl of pain. He could feel tears pricking his eyes. This couldn’t be happening. They were supposed to spend eternity together, he was supposed to keep Baekhyun safe. But he had failed. “Baekhyun, don’t do this to me. Please,” he whispered, grabbing Baekhyun’s fingers like a life line. Baekhyun squeezed his hand but his grip was terrifyingly weak.

“My only regret was not kissing you sooner,” Baekhyun said with a final grin.

Before his eyes Baekhyun’s life was slipping through his fingers. “No, Baekhyun no!” Chanyeol cried but his hand slipped from his and hit the ground with a note of finality that had Chanyeol eliciting a heart wrenching cry that shook his soul.

“Challenger, you need to let him go, he’s gone-” The medic tried to remove him but Chanyeol let out a dangerous yell and fire exploded around him. His eyes glowed red and his hair shined like molten fire, the flames crashed around him in the shape of a phoenix and the pure heat sent the boy stumbling back. The crowd gasped for he burned like the sun itself.

But then all of a sudden the flames extinguished like a match, snuffing out of existence. The light disappeared, dimming until all that was left as a young boy drained and heart broken. He was the most powerful person that walked the earth and yet there was nothing he could have done to save the one he loved.

Chanyeol slowly dropped to his knees, reaching forward to tenderly caress the side of Baekhyun’s face. “I’m so sorry,” he whispered. He half expected the boy to open his eyes and smile one of his dazzling smiles at him, but he didn’t move. Baekhyun was gone.

Chanyeol didn’t intend to live without him.

Inhaling slowly, Chanyeol closed his eyes and carefully brought one hand in front of him. He had been practicing this technique for years, hoping one day to perfect it. It would suck out his entire essence from his body, the flames that kept him alive, and finally let him succumb to death. It was forbidden, the cowardly way out to escape the tasks, but Chanyeol had known it was his only choice. He had never had a purpose to take his own life before, but now he knew what he had to do. He was going to save the one person who deserved life more than anything even though it would end with his own demise.

He brought his hand to his chest, fingers splayed right above his heart, before slowly extending his hand away from his body. The pain was unbearable. He let out a choked cry as a bright red fire was pulled from his body, attached to his hand like it wouldn’t be able to last very long without him. He took a moment, closing his eyes in pain as he gasped for air. When he opened them his previous dark red eyes had turned completely black.

“I promised I would protect you,” Chanyeol said. He leaned forward before pressing his flame tipped fingers to Baekhyun’s chest. The flames seemed to absorb into his body, his back arching off the ground as the last of the fire disappeared inside of him. His back hit the ground and Chanyeol slowly removed his hand, the fire following his fingers which had now turned a pale blue. He stood shakily to his feet, barely able to stand without support, and stared up at the sky which shined mercilessly down upon them.

“Goodbye Baekhyun,” Chanyeol whispered before gently tossing the flames cupped in his hands into the air. As it drifted upwards the bright sky seemed to fade, a blanket of darkness descending upon them.

“I love you.”

Chanyeol collapsed with declarations of love dying on his lips. With his last sacrifice the world plunged into darkness. The last thing he saw was the moon shining down upon them.

 

The Solaris challenger’s sacrifice marked the beginning of night.

But unknowingly he had also brought the world back into balance. The Solaris and Lunar were shocked when twelve hours later the sun began to rise again. Chanyeol died as the moon rose and Baekhyun was reborn. Everyday their cycle repeated, the two separated only by seconds.

However the gods must have felt pity on them, for they granted one night a year in which the sun and the moon shared the same sky; an eclipse, a chance for them to be together.

The land returned to peace and the Solaris and the Lunar flourished once more. The walls that had been keeping them apart were torn down and their differences abridged. After hundreds of years the distance between the two races finally disappeared until they became one, thus creating human kind as we now know it.

“Chanyeol and Baekhyun watch over us now, as they will for the rest of eternity.

“The Solaris and the Lunar challengers.

“The sun and the moon.”

Kyungsoo brought his gaze back to the room, blinking his wide eyes. He had been so wrapped in the story he had almost forgotten where he was. He always had a habit of getting lost in the past, in the memories of his old life. He shook his head, trying to get his bearings and jumped when he found two boys staring right at him.

Tao and Sehun were gaping at him with equally dumbfounded expressions on their faces, completely entranced so much that they hadn’t even dared interrupt Kyungsoo’s story. He wanted to laugh at their faces, so much for a bedtime story.

“You mean they DIED?” All of a sudden Sehun screamed, shocking Kyungsoo so much he jumped and nearly upturned the bedside lamp.

“Well, I mean, they both lived. Kind of. I mean, they’re born again every day so they’re not technically dead,” Kyungsoo stuttered, taken aback.

Tao suddenly burst into tears and Kyungsoo jumped to his feet, hands waving wildly. “But they’re separated forever!” Tao howled. Before Kyungsoo could do anything Sehun had leapt across the beds, gathering Tao in his arms and glaring accusingly at Kyungsoo like the whole thing had been his fault.

Which it definitely wasn’t. Kyungsoo hadn’t had much authority back then. Though if he had, sometimes he wondered if he would’ve done anything.

“They can still see each other during the eclipse...” Kyungsoo said lamely but Tao only let out another wail.

There was suddenly a crash from the living room and Kyungsoo jumped to his feet, thankful for a way out. “Ah, I think that was… The cat.”

As Kyungsoo raced from the bedroom he heard Tao mutter through his sniffles, “We have a cat?”

He skidded to a stop outside the kitchen, alarm turning into amusement when he found the intruder hastily trying to put a vase back together. There were wisps of what looked like smoke coming off him and if it had been anyone else Kyungsoo would’ve been worried they were on fire.

He was still surprised though to see Jongin because he hadn’t been expecting him. “Now the kids think I have a cat,” Kyungsoo said with a wiry grin, crossing his arms over his chest.

Jongin turned towards him with a guilty smile. “Well, Tao has always wanted one.”

Kyungsoo laughed and stepped forward, handing the boy a broom before taking the fallen flowers and putting them in a new vase. He waved his hands over a few that were dying and their colors immediately brighten. He liked his powers; being close with nature allowed him strength but also healing properties which he had been interested in all those years ago. Though of course they were nothing compared to flaming phoenixes and disappearing in smoke.

“Sorry,” Jongin said, obediently cleaning up the rest of the mess and popping into the kitchen to throw away the remains when he was done. He finally turned awkwardly to Kyungsoo, reaching up to scratch the back of his neck. “I just… Have you seen Baekhyun?”

“Baekhyun?” Kyungsoo looked at him in surprise before his brows furrowed. “It was your job last night to keep an eye on him.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know, but then he kind of disappeared…”

“You lost Baekhyun?” Kyungsoo exclaimed. “Last night of all nights? You know what Chanyeol wanted.”

“I know! I was an accident, he just vanished! You know he’s good at that.”

“Jongin, you can’t be serious right now-”

“You two bicker like a married couple.”

Both Kyungsoo and Jongin jumped at the new voice and spun around in surprise. A boy sat at the kitchen table dressed in plain white robes and sandals, the dim kitchen light bouncing off jewels in his hair. He looked haggard but he managed a smile at them. “Hello Kyungsoo.”

“Baekhyun!” Jongin exclaimed. He disappeared in a flash of smoke only to reappear beside the boy. “Where did you go last night?” He asked, frowning down at him and crossing his hands over his chest like he was his parent and Baekhyun was his rebellious son.

“I stayed with Chanyeol,” Baekhyun responded calmly. He pat Jongin consolingly on the arm but the boy just looked more annoyed.

“Baekhyun,” Kyungsoo scolded.

But Baekhyun just waved the both of them away. “I got enough nagging from Chanyeol yesterday, I don’t need it from you two love birds,” he said with more amusement than annoyance.

Kyungsoo could feel his face heating up. He and Jongin weren’t in a romantic relationship, but after years of being by each other sides, the two had grown extremely close. Baekhyun and Chanyeol always liked to tease them and Kyungsoo wished for the day he would stop blushing at their comments. “You know Chanyeol doesn’t want you there when-”

“When he dies?”

The kitchen went silent. Kyungsoo was always amazed by how blunt Baekhyun could be.

Jongin looked incredibly uncomfortable, or frustrated, but they were interrupted when there was suddenly another high pitched wail from the other room. It seemed Tao was still not over the ending of their story. Kyungsoo glanced over worriedly but Jongin waved him away, already sweeping toward the room. After a few moments the crying had stopped to be replaced by exciting screams of, “Uncle Jongin!”

“He’s really good with the kids, isn’t he,” Baekhyun said with a sly grin in his directly.

Kyungsoo ignored him. “He always does well with the kids,” he said simply. He pulled up a chair at the table, sitting beside Baekhyun who was resting his head in his arms, rubbing at his eyes tiredly.

“So you finally decided to tell them about me, huh,” Baekhyun questioned. Kyungsoo nodded in response and he the boy grinned playfully. “It sounded very romantic.”

“It was,” Kyungsoo insisted and Baekhyun smiled genuinely at him. After a moment Kyungsoo gently prodded him. “How is he?”

Baekhyun’s face fell ever so slightly and Kyungsoo could see how exhausted he was. “Chanyeol says hi,” Baekhyun finally offered. “He says he’ll visit soon.”

After Baekhyun rubbed his eyes for the nth time Kyungsoo leaned forward and rested his hand on his arm. “Are you alright?” He asked sincerely.

Baekhyun smiled and took Kyungsoo’s hand, giving it a gentle squeeze before dropping it. “I’m fine,” he assured. Kyungsoo still looked concerned. “It’s just I haven’t stayed with Chanyeol in a while. He was pretty angry.” He chuckled and Kyungsoo spared a smile, he could imagine. “It never gets easier, but it was something I had to do. He always tries to protect people and put them first, but he needs to learn that I’m here for him. Forever.”

Because of Chanyeol’s sacrifice, every night when the sun goes down Chanyeol dies and Baekhyun is born again. It’s a painful process for both of them, Kyungsoo can attest to having witnessed the unpleasant experience. On the night of the eclipse the two can coexist on the same skies and see each other for one night, but he knows they usually part early so Baekhyun doesn’t have to experience Chanyeol’s death. The two consider their meeting a gift but sometimes Kyungsoo can’t help feeling that it’s more of a curse.

“We’re here for you too,” Kyungsoo said quietly.

Baekhyun smiled at him and the two drifted into a comfortable silence.

“I can feel your curiosity Kyungsoo, just ask me.” Kyungsoo laughed, Baekhyun always seemed to know what people were thinking. He took a slow breath before beginning, “How do you do it?” He finally asked. He could never understand it. It was hard enough to watch people die around him as he continued living but to have a loved one die over and over again… He wasn’t sure he was strong enough for it.

Baekhyun’s smile saddened. “It’s hard,” he admitted. “I’ve been around for many years. I’ve watched the world changed, I’ve changed the world, and I’ve always wondered… What if it had been different?” He smiled and shook his head, staring down at his clasped hands. “But right now I’m alive and I have Chanyeol. It’s not easy, and the pain never really goes away, but I’m happy.” Then he chuckled and grabbed Kyungsoo’s shoulder. “And I have you,” he added jokingly. “And Jongin.”

When Chanyeol and Baekhyun had died the immortal power that had been granted to them through the tasks had fallen onto the next challengers. Kyungsoo for the Solaris and Jongin for the Lunar. Thus the two stayed as protectors of the earth and watched over remaining Solaris and Lunar descendants that needed homes. Kyungsoo was just glad he wasn’t alone.

“I’m lucky for everything I have,” Baekhyun said, grasping Kyungsoo’s hand, “and I have to thank you for a lot of that as well.”

Kyungsoo smiled but he couldn’t help but think he should be thanking Baekhyun for everything he had ever done and taught him instead.

There was a ruckus from the hallway. “The kids are hungry!” Jongin bellowed and Kyungsoo rolled his eyes, knowing bedtime never existed when uncle Jongin was around.

“Who’s that?”

Kyungsoo and Baekhyun both turned toward the door. The three came out, Tao sitting proudly on Jongin’s shoulders with Sehun wrapped around his neck. Jongin glanced up, “What’d you say?”

“Him, who is he?” Tao repeated, one hand clutching onto Jongin’s hair and the other pointing straight at Baekhyun.

Baekhyun stared at the three of them for a moment before slowly turning around. Then he spun back around, a look of astonishment on his face. “You can see me?” He asked.

“Of course we can see you,” Sehun said with a frown.

Kyungsoo audibly gasped and Jongin nearly dropped Sehun. Kyungsoo opened his mouth to explain; some descendants of the old races were able to see Baekhyun and Chanyeol, but he was so flabbergasted that both of them had this rare trait he couldn’t find words. Luckily Baekhyun stepped in and came to stand in front of them, a gentle smile on his face. The two watched him carefully, both looking equally confused.

“My name’s Baekhyun,” he said, happiness etched into every feature. Kyungsoo could understand, it had been a long time since someone had been able to see him. “It’s nice to meet you Sehun, and you as well Tao.”

Sehun frowned while Tao hesitantly lifted a hand and waved.

“Okay, I think it’s time for bed,” Kyungsoo finally said, ushering the three back to the bedroom. Jongin still seemed in shock.

They could hear Sehun scowl from the hallway. “How does he know our names?”

“Did he say his name was Baekhyun? From the story?”

Kyungsoo and Baekhyun exchanged glances before the two chuckled in amazement.

“That was… Unexpected,” Kyungsoo said, still astonished.

Baekhyun turned toward him with the brightest smile Kyungsoo had ever seen. “Chanyeol will be so excited to meet them.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a fic I've been working on for a long time. Thank you so much for reading! ^^ If you have any questions, feel free to leave me a comment. Sometimes I tend to forget to add things~ I hope you enjoyed :D


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